title: Amelogenin-chitosan matrix for human enamel regrowth: effects of viscosity and supersaturation degree.
abstract: We recently reported an amelogenin-chitosan (CS-AMEL) hydrogel as a promising biomimetic material for future in situ human enamel regrowth. To further optimize the necessary conditions for clinical applicability of CS-AMEL hydrogel, herein we studied the effects of viscosity and supersaturation degree on the size and orientation of synthetic crystals by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Raising the hydrogel viscosity by increasing chitosan concentration from 1% to 2% (w/v) improved the orientation of the crystals, while a higher supersaturation (σ(HAp) >10.06, [Ca(2+)] >5 mM) resulted in the formation of random crystals with larger sizes and irregular structures. We conclude that optimal conditions to produce organized enamel-like crystals in a CS-AMEL hydrogel are: 2% (w/v) chitosan, 2.5 mM calcium, and 1.5 mM phosphate (degree of supersaturation = 8.23) and 200 µg/ml of amelogenin.
authors.affiliation: Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, CA , USA and.
authors.forename: Qichao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siddiqah
authors.forename: Xiaochen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nutt
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moradian-Oldak
mesh_terms: D053523:Amelogenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D014783:Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D053523:Amelogenin; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Apatite crystals; amelogenin; chitosan hydrogel; enamel biomimetic; supersaturation