Calcium phosphate

Overview
Calcium phosphate is the name given to a family of minerals containing calcium ions (Ca2+) together with orthophosphates (PO43-), metaphosphates or pyrophosphates (P2O74-) and occasionally hydrogen or hydroxide ions. Seventy percent of bone is made up of hydroxylapatite, a calcium phosphate mineral.

Uses
Calcium phosphate is also a raising agent, with E number E341. It is also used in cheese products.

It is also used as a nutritional supplement. There is some debate about the different bioavailabilities of the different calcium salts.

It is used in a variety of dental products for remineralization.

Another practical application of the compound is its use in gene transfection of cells. It is not too well understood, but the calcium phosphate precipitate and DNA form a complex that is thought to help the DNA enter the cell, so that new protein can be expressed.

Calcium phosphate compounds

 * Calcium dihydrogen phosphate, E341(i): Ca(H2PO4)2
 * Calcium hydrogen phosphate, E341(ii): CaHPO4
 * Tricalcium phosphate (or tricalcic phosphate), E341(iii): Ca3(PO4)2