Protein nanoribbons template enamel mineralization.

ABSTRACT: As the hardest tissue formed by vertebrates, enamel represents nature's engineering masterpiece with complex organizations of fibrous apatite crystals at the nanometer scale. Supramolecular assemblies of enamel matrix proteins (EMPs) play a key role as the structural scaffolds for regulating mineral morphology during enamel development. However, to achieve maximum tissue hardness, most organic content in enamel is digested and removed at the maturation stage, and thus knowledge of a structural protein template that could guide enamel mineralization is limited at this date. Herein, by examining a gene-modified mouse that lacked enzymatic degradation of EMPs, we demonstrate the presence of protein nanoribbons as the structural scaffolds in developing enamel matrix. Using in vitro mineralizat

SUBMITTER: Bai Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7431033 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature