908 Calcium Phosphate Growth on Amelogenin Nanoribbons

Friday, March 23, 2012: 2 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Presentation Type: Poster Session
P. ISHANI AFOUSI, O.M. MARTINEZ-AVILA, and S.F. HABELITZ, Prds, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Objectives: to show that amelogenin nanoribbons can act as templates for calcium phosphate mineralization.

Methods: Amelogenin nanoribbons were prepared from oil-water emulsions, and initially imaged using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to establish a control and then incubated in various [Ca/P] with saturation degree of 11, pH of 7.4, and 37˚C, with and without Fluoride of 0.002ppm. The samples were imaged using AFM after 24hr and 72hr incubation times.

Results: While no significant differences in width and length between pre and post-incubation time of amelogenin nanoribbons were observed, the height of amelogenin nanoribbons increased from an average of 4.7nm to 7.23nm after 72hrs of incubation; with no significant difference in heights between 24hr and 72hr incubation times. Also there was no difference between samples that were pre-treated with fluoride and those that were treated with saturated calcium phosphate solutions only.

Conclusions: The results of the study support the conclusion that amelogenin nanoribbons can provide a suitable backbone for calcium phosphate deposition and growth.

This abstract is based on research that was funded entirely or partially by an outside source: University of California, San Francisco, The Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences

Keywords: Ameloblasts, Enamel, Fluoride, Proteins and amelogenin nanoribbon
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