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Welcome!

The focus of the Laboratory of Calcified Tissues and Biomaterials is on understanding the cell biology of calcified tissues using a variety of approaches integrating morphology, biochemistry, cell/tissue culturing, and molecular biology. Research interests include improving our understanding of the development, physiology, and pathology of calcified tissues in order to develop new strategies for the prevention of disease and for repair and regeneration of hard tissues.

We have been applying information derived from recent studies to create "intelligent" biomaterials capable of guiding and accelerating tissue healing and improving the integration of these materials within host tissues. Technology developed for nanotexturing metals and covalent attachment of bioactive molecules at their surfaces is now being extended to the production of unique biosensors.

 

 

Ten Cate's Oral Histology

Ten Cate's Oral Histology

Recent publications

Initial evaluation of bone ingrowth into novel porous titanium coating. Porous metals (sintered beads and meshes) have been used for many years for different orthopedic applications. Metal foams have been recently developed. These foams have the advantage of being more porous than the traditional coatings. Their high porosity provides more space for bone ingrowth and mechanical interlocking and presents more surface for implant-bone contact. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vivo bone ingrowth into Ti implants covered with a novel Ti foam coating. This foam contains 50% in volume of interconnected pores and a higher surface area compared to dense Ti. Both coated implants and dense Ti controls were placed transcortically in the rat tibia....

Regulation of pH during amelogenesis. During amelogenesis, extracellular matrix proteins interact with growing hydroxyapatite crystals to create one of the most architecturally complex biological tissues. The process of enamel formation is a unique biomineralizing system characterized first by an increase in crystallite length during the secretory phase of amelogenesis, followed by a vast increase in crystallite width and thickness in the later maturation phase when organic complexes are enzymatically removed. Crystal growth is modulated by changes in the pH of the enamel microenvironment that is critical for proper enamel biomineralization. Whereas the genetic bases for most abnormal enamel phenotypes (amelogenesis imperfecta) are generally associated with mutations to enamel matrix specific genes, mutations to genes involved in pH regulation...

 

© 2009 Pedro A. Segura

Faculty of Dentristy