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Brazilian Journal of Oral Sciences
Piracicaba Dental School - UNICAMP
EISSN:
Vol. 4, No. 13, 2005, pp. 716-724
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Bioline Code: os05013
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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Brazilian Journal of Oral Sciences, Vol. 4, No. 13, 2005, pp. 716-724
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The enamel organic matrix: structureand function
Alexandre Ribeiro Do Espírito Santo & Sérgio Roberto Peres Line
Abstract
Dental enamel is the most mineralized tissue in the vertebrate body and contains the largest known biologically formed hydroxyapatite crystals. Its formation occurs extracellularly through the collaboration of a proteic transient framework (the enamel organic matrix), which controls hydroxyapatite crystal growth, morphology and orientation. This matrix is deposited with a small amount of mineral during the secretory stage of amelogenesis. The organic components begin to be degraded in the transition stage and are extensively corrupted, and almost entirely replaced by the inorganic crystallites during maturation stage. The present paper reviews current knowledge on the structural biology of the enamel organic matrix.
Keywords
dental enamel, extracellular matrix, amelogenesis, dental enamel proteins, dental enamel proteinases.
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