Abstract
Human enamel development of the permanent teeth takes place during childhood and stresses encountered during this period can have lasting effects on the appearance and structural integrity of the enamel. One of the most common examples of this is the development of dental fluorosis after childhood exposure to excess fluoride, an elemental agent used to increase enamel hardness and prevent dental caries. Currently the molecular mechanism responsible for dental fluorosis remains unknown; however, recent work suggests dental fluorosis may be the result of activated stress response pathways in ameloblasts during the development of permanent teeth. Using fluorosis as an example, the role of stress response pathways during enamel maturation is discussed.
Highlights
Dental enamel is produced by specialized epithelial-derived cells known as ameloblasts, which are a layer of tall columnar polarized cells, and is the product of ameloblast progression through the various stages of their life cycle
Dental fluorosis is the result of excess fluoride during enamel development, which for the permanent teeth occurs in childhood between the ages of 2 to 8 years old, and affects roughly one quarter of the American population [3]
Current work suggests the involvement of the protein synthesis machinery in the development of dental fluorosis [7±9] and this review uses fluorosis to illustrate the importance of the stress response pathways on protein production during amelogenesis
Summary
Dental enamel is produced by specialized epithelial-derived cells known as ameloblasts, which are a layer of tall columnar polarized cells, and is the product of ameloblast progression through the various stages of their life cycle. Cells 2012, 1 secretion from trauma or illness can be observed visually in the teeth of affected individuals as unusually prominent Striae of Retzius, which are visible manifestations of the ameloblast growth cycle analogous to the growth rings of a tree [1] Both fever lines on the permanent teeth, caused by high fever during childhood, and the neonatal line on the deciduous teeth, caused by the trauma associated with being born, are two very common examples of bodily stressors causing interruptions in enamel development [1]. In the most severe cases, enamel can become discolored and brittle, leading to chipping These spots or lines are areas of weakened enamel that have higher than normal protein content [4±6] and it is the increased protein content in these areas that results in the observed enamel weakness of fluorosed enamel. Current work suggests the involvement of the protein synthesis machinery in the development of dental fluorosis [7±9] and this review uses fluorosis to illustrate the importance of the stress response pathways on protein production during amelogenesis
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