title: Effects of recombinant amelogenin on hydroxyapatite formation in vitro.
abstract: To determine the role of amelogenin in the mineralization of dental enamel, the effects of the recombinant mouse amelogenin rM179 on in vitro hydroxyapatite formation have been studied. In a steady-state agarose gel assay for hydroxyapatite nucleation, rM179 lacked significant activity at concentrations up to 300 microgram/ml. In an autotitration assay for inhibition of de novo hydroxyapatite formation, rM179 had no significant activity at concentrations up to 30 microgram/ml. Using selected-area dark-field electron microscopy, it was shown that rM179, at concentrations up to 30 microgram/ml, did not significantly affect the length of hydroxyapatite crystals formed in steady-state agarose gels. These findings suggest that amelogenins do not possess the specific crystal-modulating properties characteristic of certain acidic mineralized tissue proteins proteins.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry and Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, N6A 5C1, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Grynpas
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Simmer
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fincham
mesh_terms: D053523:Amelogenin; D000818:Animals; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D017886:Durapatite / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D053523:Amelogenin; C507200:Amelx protein, mouse; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D017886:Durapatite