Int. J. Dev. Biol. 39: 135 - 143 (1995)

Vol 39, Issue 1

Special Issue: Odontogenesis

The enamelin (tuftelin) gene

Published: 1 February 1995

D Deutsch, A Palmon, L Dafni, J Catalano-Sherman, M F Young and L W Fisher

Department of Oral Biology, Hebrew University, Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.

Abstract

This paper reviews the primary structure, characteristics and possible function of tuftelin/enamelin protein. It describes the distribution of tuftelin in the ameloblast cell and in the extracellular enamel matrix, employing high resolution protein-A gold immunocytochemistry. The chromosomal localization of the human tuftelin gene and its possible involvement in autosomally linked Amelogenesis Imperfecta, the most common hereditary disease of enamel, is also discussed.