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7328780 
Journal Article 
Review 
Tooth Enamel and Its Dynamic Protein Matrix 
Gil-Bona, Ana; Bidlack, FB 
2020 
Yes 
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
ISSN: 1422-0067
EISSN: 14220067 
21 
12 
English 
32585904 
WOS:000553857700001 
Tooth enamel is the outer covering of tooth crowns, the hardest material in the mammalian body, yet fracture resistant. The extremely high content of 95 wt% calcium phosphate in healthy adult teeth is achieved through mineralization of a proteinaceous matrix that changes in abundance and composition. Enamel-specific proteins and proteases are known to be critical for proper enamel formation. Recent proteomics analyses revealed many other proteins with their roles in enamel formation yet to be unraveled. Although the exact protein composition of healthy tooth enamel is still unknown, it is apparent that compromised enamel deviates in amount and composition of its organic material. Why these differences affect both the mineralization process before tooth eruption and the properties of erupted teeth will become apparent as proteomics protocols are adjusted to the variability between species, tooth size, sample size and ephemeral organic content of forming teeth. This review summarizes the current knowledge and published proteomics data of healthy and diseased tooth enamel, including advancements in forensic applications and disease models in animals. A summary and discussion of the status quo highlights how recent proteomics findings advance our understating of the complexity and temporal changes of extracellular matrix composition during tooth enamel formation. 
tooth enamel; enamel proteome; amelogenin; amelogenin-Y (AMELY); enamel peptide; molar hypomineralization; dental anthropology; dental fluorosis; serum albumin