Amelogenin Affects Brushite Crystal Morphology and Promotes Its Phase Transformation to Monetite

Journal Article · Wed Sep 07 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Crystal Growth and Design

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.6b00569· OSTI ID:1340847

Ren, Dongni; Ruan, Qichao; Tao, Jinhui; Lo, Jonathan; Nutt, Steven; Moradian-Oldak, Janet

Amelogenin protein is involved in organized apatite crystallization during enamel formation. Brushite (CaHPO4·2H2O), which is one of the precursors for hydroxyapatite in in vitro mineralization, has been used for fabrication of biomaterials for hard tissue repair. In order to explore its potential application in biomimetic material synthesis, we studied the influence of amelogenin on brushite morphology and phase transformation to monetite. Our results show that amelogenin can adsorb onto surface of brushite, leading to the formation of layered structures on the (010) face. Amelogenin promoted the phase transformation of brushite into monetite (CaHPO4) in the dry state, presumably by interacting with crystalline water layers in brushite unit cell. Changes to the crystal morphology by amelogenin continued even after the phase transformation to monetite forming an organized nanotextured structure of nano-sticks resembling the bundle structure in enamel.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1340847
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-119028; 453060036
• Journal Information: Crystal Growth and Design, Journal Name: Crystal Growth and Design Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 16; ISSN 1528-7483
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English