2025 AIChE Annual Meeting

(187ba) Elucidating the Growth Dynamics of Calcium Oxalate Hydrates As a Guide for Controlling Pathological Crystallization

Authors

Jeffrey Rimer, University of Houston
I wish my abstract to be considered for the Biomaterials: Graduate Student Award session.

Kidney stones, or renal calculi, are pathological precipitates formed in the kidneys, urethra, or bladder, with calcium oxalate crystals accounting for approximately 80% of all cases.1 Calcium oxalate crystallizes as three hydrates: calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM), the most stable and prevalent form; calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD), a less stable phase often crystallized in the presence of COM modifiers; and calcium oxalate trihydrate (COT). While extensive research has focused on COM growth mechanisms influenced by various (macro)molecular additives (i.e., modifiers), studies on COD formation remain relatively limited.2-3 In this presentation, we will describe our recent analysis of modifiers using a library of molecules with phosphate moieties over conventionally employed molecules with carboxylate moieties (e.g. citrate). Our findings reveal that select modifiers redirect the growth of COD over COM, which was confirmed using bulk crystallization assays and in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements to investigate growth mechanisms in the absence and presence of modifiers.4 We show that COD grows via classical two-dimensional layer nucleation and spreading, contrasting the generation of hillocks on COM crystal surfaces from screw dislocations. We extended this study to better understand the effects of molecular modifiers on COD crystal surface growth.5 Additionally, we explored the influence of organic and inorganic modifiers as dissolution agents of COM in undersaturated media Our findings reveal new pathways for the removal of stones that may serve as a foundation for developing innovative therapeutic strategies to control pathological crystallization associated with kidney stone disease.

References:

  1. Wesson, J. A.; Ward, M. D., Pathological Biomineralization of Kidney Stones. Elements 2007,3 (6), 415-421.
  2. Olafson, K. N.; Li, R.; Alamani, B. G.; Rirner, J. D., Engineering Crystal Modifiers: Bridging Classical and Nonclassical Crystallization. Chemistry of Materials 2016,28 (23), 8453-8465.
  3. Chung, J.; Granja, I.; Taylor, M. G.; Mpourmpakis, G.; Asplin, J. R.; Rimer, J. D., Molecular modifiers reveal a mechanism of pathological crystal growth inhibition. Nature 2016,536 (7617), 446-450.
  4. Kim, D.,* Chauhan, V.P.,* Alamani,* B.G., Fisher, S.D., Yang, Z., Jones, M.R., Terlier, T., Vekilov, P.G., Rimer, J.D.: “Bio-Inspired Dual Action Disruptors of Pathological Calcium Oxalate Crystallization” Commun.(2025) [In Press] [Joint first author]
  5. Chauhan, V.P., Grobman, G.Y., Vidavsky, N., Rimer, J.D.: “Time-resolved Dynamics of Calcium Oxalate Dihydrate Crystallization” Growth Des.24 (2024) 10273-10283