Hydroxyapatite crystals formed in various tissues throughout the body have
very specific shapes and sizes. These sizes, though heterogeneous, are specific to the
tissue type and the age of the animal from which the crystals were derived. A multitude
of factors contribute to the regulation of crystal sizes in different tissues. This chapter
reviews those factors, and presents a brief introduction to the science of nucleation and
crystal growth that governs the ways these crystals form and proliferate.
Keywords: Hydroxyapatite crystals, crystal size regulation, nucleation, crystal
growth.
