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Biomineralization

Crystals, asymmetry and life

Nature volume 411, pages 753–755 (2001)Cite this article

Understanding the formation of asymmetrical shapes during the growth of symmetrical crystalline structures is a first step towards understanding asymmetry in biology.

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Figure 1: Chiral shapes of biological and synthetic crystals.
Figure 2: Living organisms use macromolecules to control the growth of biological minerals — a process known as biomineralization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel

    Lia Addadi & Steve Weiner

  2. Lia Addadi & Steve Weiner

Authors
  1. Lia Addadi
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  2. Steve Weiner
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Addadi, L., Weiner, S. Crystals, asymmetry and life. Nature 411, 753–755 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35081227

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