Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Crystallization of Mineral Phases of Vascular Calcificates

Abstract

Vascular calcification is the process of calcium salt precipitation in vessel walls. In-depth understanding of the mechanisms of crystallization of calcifications in blood vessels is crucial for developing effective protective therapy. The paper presents the results of the thermodynamic calculation of the formation of calcification mineral phases and experimental results of phase formation under conditions typical of the human blood plasma prototype (inorganic composition). The regularities of nucleation in a model solution of human blood plasma under the conditions similar to physiological have been investigated. The induction order and constants are determined. It is shown that an increase in supersaturation leads to a transition from heterogeneous to homogeneous nucleation of crystallites. The critical nucleus size is estimated for a pure model system blood plasma. The kinetic regularities of crystallization (growth order and constants) in a model solution of blood plasma have been investigated. It is shown that the impurities affect to a greater extent the nucleation rather than the growth stage.