Avian eggshell formation reveals a new paradigm for vertebrate mineralization via vesicular amorphous calcium carbonate.

ABSTRACT: Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is an unstable mineral phase, which is progressively transformed into aragonite or calcite in biomineralization of marine invertebrate shells or avian eggshells, respectively. We have previously proposed a model of vesicular transport to provide stabilized ACC in chicken uterine fluid where eggshell mineralization takes place. Herein, we report further experimental support for this model. We confirmed the presence of extracellular vesicles (EVs) using transmission EM and showed high levels of mRNA of vesicular markers in the oviduct segments where eggshell mineralization occurs. We also demonstrate that EVs contain ACC in uterine fluid using spectroscopic analysis. Moreover, proteomics and immunofluorescence confirmed the presence of major vesicular, miner

SUBMITTER: Stapane L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7681030 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature