Biomineralization: Physicochemical and Biological Properties of Biomimetic Mineralo‐Protein Nanoparticles Formed Spontaneously in Biological Fluids (Small 13/2013)

The properties of biological mineralo-protein nanoparticles that form spontaneously in human body fluids are described by J. D. Young and co-workers on page 2297. Concentrations of serum and precipitating ions near physiological levels produce small biomimetic nanoparticles that grow steadily in size but retain a similar protein profile irrespective of size. These biological mineral particles are phagocytosed by immune cells and they activate pro-inflammatory responses in a size-dependent manner.