Amelogenin is a cell adhesion protein

Amelogenin, the major protein component of tooth enamel, is shown to be a cell adhesion protein. Since it had been shown that an amelogenin-containing preparation, Emdogain(R), possessed cell-adhesive activity, we tested the hypothesis that amelogenin was responsible for cell-adhesive activity. Recombinant amelogenin was found to promote adhesion at less than 15 mug/60-mm plate and requires divalent cations for activity. While we found that amelogenin does not bind to collagen or heparin under physiological conditions, it was demonstrated previously that amelogenin does bind to hydroxyapatite. The cell-adhesive activity of amelogenin may play a role in development and may provide a partial explanation for the therapeutic effects of Emdogain(R) in periodontal regeneration.