Dental Enamel Symposium No 205 Author:Symposium on Dental Enamel (1996 Ciba Foundation) The molecular mechanisms and protein species involved in enamel development and mineralization are areas of active research and debate. There is much to learn about the roles of the enamel matrix proteins (e.g. amelogenins and enamelins/tuftelins and ameloblastins) secreted by ameloblasts, as well as the process of abnormal enamel development, w... more »hich may result either from inherited genetic defects (amelogenesis imperfecta) or from systemic or environmental factors such as fluoride. The aim of this book is to evaluate many of the recent advances in this field: the genetics and structural biology of the enamel matrix proteins; the structure/function relationships of these proteins in normal and diseased enamel; the new cellular, molecular, evolutionary and computational approaches that are fuelling progress towards the understanding of enamel genesis; and the biomimetic or tissue engineering approaches that may result in improved diagnostics and therapeutics. It contains lively debates from an international group of experts who have identified future directions both for the science of dental enamel and health-related opportunities.« less