Wearing ornaments embedded with pearls is one of the favorite feelings many of you are having. But have you ever wondered about how a pearl is formed in the living shelled mollusks or other water animals? Or, can you guess the formation of pearl having a similar process as of kidney stones in humans? Is pearl a kind of kidney stone of shell For more information regarding this aspect, kindly go through this blog.
About pearl.
Being a glimmering hard entity, the pearl is formed in the soft fleshy matter of sea animals or obtained from fossils. It has a body composed of calcium carbonate, with aragonite as an important constituent in a small, cluster-like amount. Some of its other characteristics include:
- The major portion of a pearl is round in shape with a smooth surface.
- It can be obtained in multiple shapes, baroque pearls being one of them.
- Pearls of the best quality are preferred to be used as gemstones and beautiful pieces of stuff for years and years.
- Due to their lustrous, hard, and fascinating properties, pearls are highly valued object which is most revered and valued.
- Wild pearls are considered natural pearls that are found in extremely rare regions of the world.
- Earlier the pearls were cultivated for beautifying clothes, but presently it is majorly used for jewelry purposes.
How do pearls form? pearl a kind of kidney stone or shell.
Depending on the three different types of pearls i.e. cultured, natural, and imitation, the process of their formation tends to vary. Cultured pearls consist of an irritant rooted as a shell which is known as the Mother of Pearl. This irritant helps in the secretion of fluid causing the pearl development. On the other hand, the natural pearls are produced by the species of oyster, clam, or mussel as a result of their action against any irritant. As per the sources, fluid is secreted by mollusks to cover the aggravation. This coating gets thicker and thicker as a result of the continuous deposition of fluid, leading to the formation of a glossy oval-shaped substance called pearl.
Further, pearls could be obtained from both freshwater or salty water sources. However, the quality of pearls obtained from the two varies differentially. The process of extracting and acquiring a pearl can take up to several years in different pearl-forming fauna. In case the oysters die of any disease or other complications, the pearl would not be formed. Repeating such oysters cycle after 5-10 years may yield you the pearl but only 5% of such peals would be of substantial quality. The last type of pearl i.e. the imitation pearls are distinctly obtained involving a process of dipping glass beads into fish scaled solution. Eventually, on the removal of this coating, an imitation pearl could be obtained. One such factory manufacturing imitation pearl is situated on the Island of Mallorca. pearl a kind kidney stone or shell
How it relates to a kidney stone in humans?
The calcifications formed in your body significantly with any genetic reason or more poorer diet may lead to a kidney stone. They are known to have formed due to an excessive amount of calcium oxalate in your body. The formation of kidney stones initiates with a supersaturated liquid intake by your body along with some thawed minerals. Further, this mixture forms up a nucleus-like structure forming a bigger crystal configuration. Similarly, the oysters undergo a process of pearl formation, where due to secretion of a fluid-like substance, a continuous layer is formed resulting in a crystal-like formation known as pearl. This is one of the biological processes taking place in both oysters and humans.
Biomineralization.
Biomineralization is a process by which bones, teeth, eggs, and shells of organisms are built. It is due to this process, that the gem-like edifice is formed as kidney stones or pearls. Such bones or tissue formed are known as mineralized tissues. Moreover, it is an important process for the existence of large variations and characteristics in the organisms, as like the one for relating the humans with oysters in such an aspect. It is thus signified that “ Pearls are like kidney stones of shells”.
