title: Protein inhibitors of calcium salt crystal growth in saliva, bile and pancreatic juice.
abstract: The control of the formation of crystals in biological fluids is one of the most exciting field of research involving both organic and biochemical areas. Many organisms have evolved mechanisms which minimize or avoid the effects of nucleation and crystal growth formation. One of the most important mechanism is the interaction of specific proteins, called inhibitors, with crystals which alters their habits and leads to their elimination. This article, focused on saliva, pancreatic juice and bile, reviews our present knowledge on the structure-function relationships existing between these proteins and their ability to inhibit the growth of different calcium salt crystals.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherches de Physiologie et Pathologie Digestives, INSERM U315, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Verdier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dussol
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Berland
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dagorn
mesh_terms: D001646:Bile / Q000737:chemistry*; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D003460:Crystallization; D006801:Humans; D051847:Lithostathine; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010189:Pancreatic Juice / Q000737:chemistry*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D051847:Lithostathine; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C497617:REG1A protein, human; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D002118:Calcium