Team 09
Team Members |
Faculty Advisor |
Aidan Pazulski |
Dr. Alix Deymier Sponsor Unsponsored Student Team |
sponsored by
Sponsor Image Not Available
Constant Composition Flow System to Study the Nucleation and Growth of Biomimetic Bone Mineral
The purpose of this project is to develop a system capable of maintaining stable supersaturation conditions for the controlled observation of hydroxyapatite nucleation and growth. Hydroxyapatite formation is a critical step in bone mineralization, but studying early nucleation events is challenging due to rapid ion depletion, uncontrolled precipitation, and difficulty maintaining consistent chemical conditions. Despite advances in molecular and computational studies, there are currently no experimental systems that can live image and directly measure how changes to the nucleation environment affect hydroxyapatite formation. The proposed system addresses these limitations by integrating a mixing chamber, laminar flow ramp, and nucleation chamber all into a single device. Calcium and phosphate solutions enter through the inlets and mix within the spiral mixer and disperse in the mixing chamber before flowing through a ramp composed of circular channels that promote laminar flow into the nucleation chamber. Once in the nucleation chamber, which contains a microscope coverslip, the solution can begin to rapidly nucleate while being live imaged under an inverted microscope. Two peristaltic pumps push and pull the solution in and out of the system at equal rates so that ions are continuously replenished and depleted solution is removed, maintaining a consistent supersaturation environment while preventing unwanted precipitation within the device. This platform is designed to be compatible with live microscopy and post-experimental analysis techniques, allowing researchers to observe nucleation events in real time and under a variety of conditions. By improving control over the chemical conditions that govern mineral formation, this device aims to provide researchers with a reliable tool for studying bone mineralization.