Mineral changes in osteopetrosis.

Bones of animal models of osteopetrosis in a variety of animal species are characterized by increased density but impaired mechanical properties. Analysis of mineral properties by several physical-chemistry techniques has shown that the crystals in the hyper-mineralized bones are smaller and less perfect than those in age-matched normal animals. Here we review the data on mineral crystal changes in osteopetrosis and the techniques for determining these properties, and suggest that the small crystal size contributes to the bones' altered mechanical properties.