Amino acid composition of the cementum matrix from human molar teeth

Attempts to label matrix synthesis of human root cementum in vitro

The present study describes the dynamic process of both acellular extrinsic (AEFC) and acellular/cellular intrinsic fiber cementum (AIFC/CIFC) matrix production on growing human teeth. Selected erupting maxillary and mandibular premolars with roots grown to about 70%-95% of their final length were placed in organ culture immediately following extraction. Twelve teeth for short-time labeling were pulse-incubated for 15 min in medium containing 3H-proline and chased for various times in order to follow the migration and secretion of the tracer. Eight teeth for long-time incubation were labeled continuously for 5 h before being chased for 1-8 days in order to label cementum matrix accumulation. After decalcification in ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), their roots were subdivided into about 20 slices each. Epon-embedded sections were prepared for light- and electron-microscopic as well as autoradiographic examination. During CIFC-formation, cementoblasts revealed high intracytoplasmic silver grain concentrations within the first hour after 3H-proline administration. The release of the tracer occurred between 60 to 120 min after administration. After 2 h, cementoblasts and the cementum matrix appeared to be labeled about equally. After 5 h, most of the labeled proteins appeared to be localized in the cementoid. Silver grains increased in number over the cementum matrix from 5-24 h. Very high intracellular grain concentrations within very large cementoblasts corresponded to regions of rapid cementum formation. Tracer-halos around entrapped cells lend support to a multipolar mode of matrix production during CIFC-initiation. The fate of the tracer during the development of early AEFC-matrix was less clear. However, fibroblasts revealed dense intracytoplasmic grain accumulations within the first hour after 3H-proline administration. Thereafter, the tracer localization was vague. This indistinct grain localization reflected the particular mode of AEFC-matrix production characterized by addition of new fibril segments to pre-existing fibers of a collagenous fringe.

The amino-acid composition of the non-collagenous organic matrix of human cementum

Human cementum was demineralized and exhaustively extracted with EDTA and then digested with collagenase. The insoluble residue after digestion was extracted successively with 8M urea and with 8M urea containing 0.1M mercaptoethanol. The non-collagenous fraction accounted for a larger proportion of the total organic matrix than previously found in bone and dentine, largely due to the presence of more collagenase-insoluble material. Fractionation of the EDTA-soluble material resulted in less-acidic fractions, showing similarities to the corresponding fractions of bone and dentine, and anionic fractions with lower levels of acidic amino acids than those from other hard tissues. Fractions obtained from the soluble collagenase-released material after ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration, although more heterogeneous than those of bone and dentine, showed many similarities, thus confirming the close homology within this fraction from the various hard tissues. The insoluble residue after collagenase digestion appeared to be of the acid-structural protein type found also in bone, dentine and a wide range of connective tissues.

A preliminary characterization of human cementum collagen

Human teeth were used to obtain cementum. Collagen could not be significantly solubilized from the cementum by salt and acetic acid extraction or by pepsin digestion. CNBr digestion (86%) of cementum and subsequent carboxymethyl cellulose chromatography suggests that human cementum consists of type I collagen only as identified by amino acid and hexose analyses.

Proteins of the periodontium. Characterization of the insoluble collagens of bovine dental cementum

Cyanogen bromide (CNBr) peptides were prepared of the insoluble collagen of bovine dental cementum. Following chromatographic separation, the peptides were identified by their amino-acid composition. Type I collagen ([alpha1(I)]2alpha2) accounted for more than 90% of the organic matrix, while Type III collagen ([alpha1(III)]3) was present at a level of approximately 5%. Amino-acid analyses revealed that the CNBr peptides from alpha1(I) and alpha2 chains of cementum closely resembled the corresponding peptides from calf skin. The only systematic difference was a higher level of hydroxylation of prolyl and lysyl residues of the cementum peptides.