Mechanism of mineralization of phospholipids

In collaboration with a colleague in the Department of Biomaterials of the Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Okayama University, who found that phospholipids (molecules that are the building blocks of cell membranes) can mineralize or, in other words, promote the growth of bone-like materials, our lab is working on the elucidation of the chemical reaction mechanism of the mineralization process of phospholipids. By elucidating such a mechanism, our research may allow the synthesis of molecules that lead to a faster formation of bone-like materials. Phospholipids are bio-organic molecules that contain a phosphate group in the center, a hydrophilic functional group, and a hydrophobic carbon chain. The hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups are linked to the central phosphate group.

The figure below shows a molecule of phosphatidylserine, which has serine as the hydrophilic group and 6 carbon atoms in its carbon chains, the hydrophobic group.

Related reports, papers, presentations:

• 程 雲昊，ハラ エミリオサトシ，国吉 ニルソン，リン脂質分子の石灰化反応における量子化学計算，日本化学会第103春季大会，野田市(千葉県)，2023年3月．

• 塩谷 恭史，エミリオ ハラ，山口 勉功，国吉ニルソン，量子化学計算によるリン脂質の石灰化機構の解析，日本化学会第102春季大会（オンライン），2022年3月．

• Nílson Kunioshi, Emilio Hara, Reina Kurihara, Takefumi Shiotani, and Katsunori Yamaguchi. “Computational analysis of chemical reactions in the mineralization of phospholipids”. 15th International Conference on Materials Chemistry (online), 2021.