Calcium orthophosphates: Applications in nature, biology, and medicine

Abstract

Calcium orthophosphates hold special significance for human beings because they represent the inorganic part of major normal (e.g., bones and teeth) and pathological (i.e., those appearing due to various diseases) calcified tissues of mammals. Thus, because of a great chemical similarity to the biological calcified tissues, artificially prepared calcium orthophosphates possess remarkable biocompatibility and bioactivity. Materials scientists use this property extensively to construct artificial grafts of bones and teeth, which are either entirely made of or only surface-coated with calcium orthophosphates. In addition, calcium orthophosphates of a technical grade are very popular mineral fertilizers. This book covers more than 3500 publications on calcium orthophosphates and, thus, provides the most comprehensive overview on the subject, ever published. © 2012 by Pan Stanford Publishing Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.