Enamel distribution, structure and mechanical alterations in col1-caPPR mice molar.

Enamel mineralisation is a highly controlled process in which the deposition, growth, and maturation of inorganic crystallites are regulated by secreted matrix proteins at the molecular and cellular level. Maxillary and mandibular first molars from the col1-caPPR mutants as well as normal controls aged for 12 weeks were observed by SEM and nanoindentation, respectively. Several types of aberrations in enamel distribution and crystal organisation were encountered in the transgenic molars. Also, the gene alteration resulted in degradation by as much as 23.42% in hardness and 17.56% in the elastic modulus. These data suggested that gene mutation altered the ameloblastic differentiation and movement, resulting in variations of crystal arrangement patterns, aberrations of enamel distribution, and degradation of mechanical behaviour. Furthermore, the col1-caPPR mouse model was determined as useful for studying how the genes modulate the biomineralisation process.