Amelogenin-chitosan matrix for human enamel regrowth: effects of viscosity and supersaturation degree.
We recently reported an amelogenin-chitosan (CS-AMEL) hydrogel as a promising biomimetic material for future in situ human enamel regrowth. To further optimize the necessary conditions for clinical applicability of CS-AMEL hydrogel, herein we studied the effects of viscosity and supersaturation degree on the size and orientation of synthetic crystals by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Raising the hydrogel viscosity by increasing chitosan concentration from 1% to 2% (w/v) improved the orientation of the crystals, while a higher supersaturation (σ(HAp) >10.06, [Ca(2+)] >5 mM) resulted in the formation of random crystals with larger sizes and irregular structures. We conclude that optimal conditions to produce organized enamel-like crystals in a CS-AMEL hydrogel are: 2% (w/v) chitosan, 2.5 mM calcium, and 1.5 mM phosphate (degree of supersaturation = 8.23) and 200 µg/ml of amelogenin.
['Ruan|Qichao|Q|', 'Siddiqah|Nadia|N|', 'Li|Xiaochen|X|', 'Nutt|Steven|S|', 'Moradian-Oldak|Janet|J|']
D053523:Amelogenin D002130:Calcium Phosphates D048271:Chitosan D003743:Dental Enamel D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins D006801:Humans D008422:Materials Testing D014783:Viscosity
supersaturation amelogenin Apatite crystals chitosan hydrogel enamel biomimetic