Experimental analysis of organ decay and pH gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues
Replacement of soft tissues by calcium phosphate can yield spectacular fossils. However, in the fossil record, the phosphatization of internal organs is highly selective; some internal organs, such as muscles, stomachs, and intestines, appear to preferentially phosphatize while other organs seldom p...
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ftleicesterunfig:oai:figshare.com:article/21163990 2023-05-15T15:52:54+02:00 Experimental analysis of organ decay and pH gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues Thomas Clements Mark A Purnell Sarah Gabbott 2022-08-08T00:00:00Z https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Experimental_analysis_of_organ_decay_and_pH_gradients_within_a_carcass_and_the_implications_for_phosphatization_of_soft_tissues/21163990 unknown 2381/21163990.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Experimental_analysis_of_organ_decay_and_pH_gradients_within_a_carcass_and_the_implications_for_phosphatization_of_soft_tissues/21163990 CC BY 4.0 CC-BY Uncategorized Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Paleontology taphonomy phosphatization soft-tissue fossil fish fossil fossilization MICROBIAL MATS PRESERVATION MINERALIZATION RIVERSLEIGH ARTHROPOD LIBROS FROGS Text Journal contribution 2022 ftleicesterunfig 2022-11-03T00:08:35Z Replacement of soft tissues by calcium phosphate can yield spectacular fossils. However, in the fossil record, the phosphatization of internal organs is highly selective; some internal organs, such as muscles, stomachs, and intestines, appear to preferentially phosphatize while other organs seldom phosphatize. The reasons for this are unclear but one hypothesis is that, during decay, organs create distinct chemical microenvironments and only some fall below the critical pH threshold for mineralization to occur (i.e. below the carbonic acid dissociation constant: pH 6.38). Here, we present a novel investigation using microelectrodes that record dynamic spatial and temporal pH gradients inside organs within a fish carcass in real time. Our experiments demonstrate that within a decaying fish carcass, organ-specific microenvironments are not generated. Rather, a pervasive pH environment forms within the body cavity which persists until integumentary failure. With no evidence to support the development of organ-specific microenvironments during decay our data suggest other factors must control differential organ phosphatization. We propose, that when conditions are amenable, it is tissue biochemistry that plays an important role in selective phosphatization. Tissues with high phosphate content (and those rich in collagen) are most likely to phosphatize. Internal organs that typically have lower tissue-bound phosphate, including the integuments of the stomach and intestine, may require other sources of phosphate such as ingested phosphate-rich organic matter. If tissue biochemistry is the driver behind selective phosphatization, this may provide insights into other highly selective modes of soft-tissue preservation (e.g. pyritization). Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper Carbonic acid University of Leicester: Figshare |
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Open Polar |
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University of Leicester: Figshare |
op_collection_id |
ftleicesterunfig |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Uncategorized Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Paleontology taphonomy phosphatization soft-tissue fossil fish fossil fossilization MICROBIAL MATS PRESERVATION MINERALIZATION RIVERSLEIGH ARTHROPOD LIBROS FROGS |
spellingShingle |
Uncategorized Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Paleontology taphonomy phosphatization soft-tissue fossil fish fossil fossilization MICROBIAL MATS PRESERVATION MINERALIZATION RIVERSLEIGH ARTHROPOD LIBROS FROGS Thomas Clements Mark A Purnell Sarah Gabbott Experimental analysis of organ decay and pH gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues |
topic_facet |
Uncategorized Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Paleontology taphonomy phosphatization soft-tissue fossil fish fossil fossilization MICROBIAL MATS PRESERVATION MINERALIZATION RIVERSLEIGH ARTHROPOD LIBROS FROGS |
description |
Replacement of soft tissues by calcium phosphate can yield spectacular fossils. However, in the fossil record, the phosphatization of internal organs is highly selective; some internal organs, such as muscles, stomachs, and intestines, appear to preferentially phosphatize while other organs seldom phosphatize. The reasons for this are unclear but one hypothesis is that, during decay, organs create distinct chemical microenvironments and only some fall below the critical pH threshold for mineralization to occur (i.e. below the carbonic acid dissociation constant: pH 6.38). Here, we present a novel investigation using microelectrodes that record dynamic spatial and temporal pH gradients inside organs within a fish carcass in real time. Our experiments demonstrate that within a decaying fish carcass, organ-specific microenvironments are not generated. Rather, a pervasive pH environment forms within the body cavity which persists until integumentary failure. With no evidence to support the development of organ-specific microenvironments during decay our data suggest other factors must control differential organ phosphatization. We propose, that when conditions are amenable, it is tissue biochemistry that plays an important role in selective phosphatization. Tissues with high phosphate content (and those rich in collagen) are most likely to phosphatize. Internal organs that typically have lower tissue-bound phosphate, including the integuments of the stomach and intestine, may require other sources of phosphate such as ingested phosphate-rich organic matter. If tissue biochemistry is the driver behind selective phosphatization, this may provide insights into other highly selective modes of soft-tissue preservation (e.g. pyritization). |
format |
Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Thomas Clements Mark A Purnell Sarah Gabbott |
author_facet |
Thomas Clements Mark A Purnell Sarah Gabbott |
author_sort |
Thomas Clements |
title |
Experimental analysis of organ decay and pH gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues |
title_short |
Experimental analysis of organ decay and pH gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues |
title_full |
Experimental analysis of organ decay and pH gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues |
title_fullStr |
Experimental analysis of organ decay and pH gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues |
title_full_unstemmed |
Experimental analysis of organ decay and pH gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues |
title_sort |
experimental analysis of organ decay and ph gradients within a carcass and the implications for phosphatization of soft tissues |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Experimental_analysis_of_organ_decay_and_pH_gradients_within_a_carcass_and_the_implications_for_phosphatization_of_soft_tissues/21163990 |
genre |
Carbonic acid |
genre_facet |
Carbonic acid |
op_relation |
2381/21163990.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Experimental_analysis_of_organ_decay_and_pH_gradients_within_a_carcass_and_the_implications_for_phosphatization_of_soft_tissues/21163990 |
op_rights |
CC BY 4.0 |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
_version_ |
1766387994994933760 |