Mineralization/Mixing Concrete

The purpose is to know what occurs in the cannon bone during the breeze/race, and the amount of time necessary to repair the damage, if any. Our equine scientists seem to be without answers or interest at the moment, so we turn to human studies.

A few things for understanding before we get to the specifics:

(and, how new is this understanding--Article titled "Scientists Gain NEW Clues As To Bone Mineralization, dated 4/2006.)

they refer to Bone Mineralization as a "well orchestrated process".

Crystals of calcium phosphate are produced. (How?) (Where does the calcium come from?)

Answer: There are "bone forming cells" by which we surmise they mean "calcium producing cells" among other things, and we may surmise that the calcium arrives at its destination from the blood stream much as circulatory system transports nutrients throughout the body.

The bone forming cells are called Osteoblasts.

BIG NEWS: Osteoblasts are found on the outer surface of the bone BUT ALSO IN THE BONE CAVITIES. So, if our breeze creates any pores or spaces we'll have Osteoblasts on site to lay down mineral and bone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do Osteoblasts lay down exactly in addition to calcium phosphate? e.g. Do they also produce collagen cells and bone glue(proteins)????? Unknown to me. I am assuming Osteoblasts produce collagen certainly at the surface of the bone, but that probably bone glue proteins are then secreted by the collagen cells possibly as waste products.

Science has identified precisely the molecules involved in laying down the calcium--i.e. the mineralization process--including how these molecules regulate themselves to produce exactly the correct quantity of material. I'm visualizing it sort of as MIXING CONCRETE on the molecular level.

For bone, what's mixed? It appears to be a combo of inorganic material, proteins some of which act as regulators of the mixing process, and the materials that will form the matrix which I'm presuming to include collagen cells. (as one e.g. how detailed these studies are "Levels of inorganic pyrophosphate--which inhibits abnormal calcification--are controlled by at least three other molecules: nucleotide pyrophosphate phosphodiesterase 1 (NNP1), which produces pyrophosphate outside the cells; ankylosis protein (ANK), which further contributes to the extracellular pool of pyrophosphate by transporting it from the cell's interior to the cell surface; and tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), which breaks down pyrophosphate in the extracellular environment, keeping its levels in check.)

Note above they speak of what occurs in the "extra cellular environment" i.e. in and around the collagen cells, and also of transporting materials in and out of the cells.

More concepts: at any one time 4% of the total bone is involved in this on-going process of mineralization that--in order to mix things properly--involves both tearing down of the old and laying of the new. The bone you had when you were born has been completely replaced.

We will be interested in the architecture and distribution of this bone mass, and the geometry of the bone.

Training:
Sat. 8/9/08: Art is off but the tendon is back to normal, without swelling. Dodged a bullet!
Rod: after considerable warm up that involved aiming several 60mph clods of dirt directly at his recalcitrantly lazy rump, several of which made well deserved contract, the youngster--who was running by himself as our oldster had lost a shoe-finally got the idea and did 4 x 1.5f at about :14/f. Rod then made his maiden voyage in the pasture under tack, without incidence, and walked 10 minutes.