Biomimetic Mineralization of Keratin Scaffolds for Enamel Regeneration
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2025

Biomimetic protein-based platforms, with their hierarchical networks and optimal mechanical properties, show promising potential for hard tissue regeneration, including dental enamel. However, achieving aligned enamel-like apatite nanocrystals from organic matrices remains challenging. A simple organic-based approach to re-create the hierarchical enamel structure using water-based keratin films is reported. These films assemble via disulfide bridging into a fibrous organic network and birefringent spherulitic construction of predominant ordered β-sheet conformation. The flexible structure of keratin templates facilitates rearrangement of the secondary structures into α-helices upon mineralization, guiding the ordered growth of apatite nanocrystals. This system has shown potential in repairing early defective dental enamel lesions, restoring both optical appearance and mechanical properties. This study offers a promising, simple, and clinically-friendly method for developing novel protein-based matrices for hard tissue regeneration from naturally abundant sources.

spherulites

enamel

biomineralization

white spot lesion

regenerative dentistry

Författare

Sara Gamea

Tanta University

King's College London

Elham Radvar

King's College London

Dimitra Athanasiadou

University of Toronto

Chalmers, Fysik, Materialfysik

Ryan Lee Chan

University of Toronto

Giacomo De Sero

Universita degli Studi di Trento

Ecaterina Ware

Imperial College London

Sunie Kundi

King's College London

Avir Patel

King's College London

Shwan Hormaee

King's College London

Shuaib Hadadi

King's College London

Mads Carlsen

Paul Scherrer Institut

Leanne Allison

King's College London

Roland Fleck

King's College London

Ka Lung Andrew Chan

King's College London

Avijit Banerjee

King's College London

N. Pugno

Queen Mary University of London

Universita degli Studi di Trento

Marianne Liebi

Paul Scherrer Institut

Chalmers, Fysik, Materialfysik

Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Paul T. Sharpe

King's College London

Karina Carneiro

University of Toronto

Sherif Elsharkawy

King's College London

NHS Foundation Trust

Advanced healthcare materials

2192-2640 (ISSN) 2192-2659 (eISSN)

Vol. 14 30 e02465

Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2025)

Odontologi

DOI

10.1002/adhm.202502465

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2026-01-08