NIH R01 · 2025
Enamel biomineralization; the role of pH cycling
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Mineralized enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body, and its proper formation is critical for the protection and maintenance of healthy teeth for a lifetime. Enamel biomineralization is directed by the epithelial-derived ameloblasts. Ameloblasts secrete enamel matrix proteins first, which are then hydrolyzed and replaced by hydroxyapatite crystals in the maturation process. During the maturation process, the pH of the enamel matrix modulates periodically to be acidic in approximately 80% of the maturation stage, with the remaining approximately 20% of the time remaining neutral. Maturation stage ameloblasts also modulate periodically along with the matrix pH…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.