AGE-INDEPENDENT CONSTANCY OF MINERAL CONTENTS IN HUMAN VERTEBRA AND AUDITORY OSSICLE

To elucidate age-related changes of mineral contents in human bones, e lement contents of human vertebrae and auditory ossicles were determin ed by inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry. The cer vical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae were removed from 12 vertebral c olumns. The mallei of auditory ossicle were removed from 27 cadavers. It was found that average relative contents (RCs) of calcium and phosp horus in cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae remained almost cons tant within ages ranging from 46 to 99 y. In addition, it was found th at the RCs of calcium and phosphorus in men's and women's mallei remai ned constant within ages ranging from 40 to 98 yr. These results suppo rt the view that there is no significant age-dependent change of miner al contents in human bones.