Multi-modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin-enamel junctions

Human and mouse incisors are both primarily composed of dentin and enamel, which meet at an interface called the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ). However, incisors in the two species have very different growth patterns, structures, and loading requirements. Since the DEJ is responsible for minimizing c...

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Main Authors: Michael Truhlar, Sobhan Katebifar, Bradley Rosenberg, Roland Kroger, Alix C. Deymier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Acta Biochimica Polonica
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Online Access:https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/articles/10.3389/abp.2025.14642/full
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author Michael Truhlar
Sobhan Katebifar
Bradley Rosenberg
Roland Kroger
Alix C. Deymier
author_facet Michael Truhlar
Sobhan Katebifar
Bradley Rosenberg
Roland Kroger
Alix C. Deymier
author_sort Michael Truhlar
collection DOAJ
description Human and mouse incisors are both primarily composed of dentin and enamel, which meet at an interface called the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ). However, incisors in the two species have very different growth patterns, structures, and loading requirements. Since the DEJ is responsible for minimizing cracking at this at-risk interface between mechanically dissimilar dentin and enamel, its structure is expected to be significantly different between humans and mice. Here, structural and compositional gradients across human and murine incisors DEJs were measured via microcomputed tomography and Raman spectroscopy. Density gradients across the DEJ were significantly larger in humans compared to murine teeth, likely due to the larger size of the mantle dentin. Multiple gradients in mineral content and crystallinity were found at the murine DEJ, while the human DEJ only exhibited gradients in mineral content. Models predicting the modulus across the DEJ according to compositional results show that mineral crystallinity is critical in regulating gradients in tissue stiffness across the murine DEJ. Together, these results show the multiple ways in which the DEJ can adapt to variations in the loading environment.
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series Acta Biochimica Polonica
spelling doaj-art-7ee1058b8569426cbbe2d0322fccf7442025-08-20T03:44:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Acta Biochimica Polonica1734-154X2025-08-017210.3389/abp.2025.1464214642Multi-modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin-enamel junctionsMichael Truhlar0Sobhan Katebifar1Bradley Rosenberg2Roland Kroger3Alix C. Deymier4School of Dental Medicine, UConn Health Center, Farmington, CT, United StatesDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, UConn Health Center, Farmington, CT, United StatesSchool of Dental Medicine, UConn Health Center, Farmington, CT, United StatesDepartment of Physics, University of York, York, United KingdomDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, UConn Health Center, Farmington, CT, United StatesHuman and mouse incisors are both primarily composed of dentin and enamel, which meet at an interface called the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ). However, incisors in the two species have very different growth patterns, structures, and loading requirements. Since the DEJ is responsible for minimizing cracking at this at-risk interface between mechanically dissimilar dentin and enamel, its structure is expected to be significantly different between humans and mice. Here, structural and compositional gradients across human and murine incisors DEJs were measured via microcomputed tomography and Raman spectroscopy. Density gradients across the DEJ were significantly larger in humans compared to murine teeth, likely due to the larger size of the mantle dentin. Multiple gradients in mineral content and crystallinity were found at the murine DEJ, while the human DEJ only exhibited gradients in mineral content. Models predicting the modulus across the DEJ according to compositional results show that mineral crystallinity is critical in regulating gradients in tissue stiffness across the murine DEJ. Together, these results show the multiple ways in which the DEJ can adapt to variations in the loading environment.https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/articles/10.3389/abp.2025.14642/fulldental Morphologydentinenamelmechanical propertiesmicro-computed tomography
spellingShingle Michael Truhlar
Sobhan Katebifar
Bradley Rosenberg
Roland Kroger
Alix C. Deymier
Multi-modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin-enamel junctions
Acta Biochimica Polonica
dental Morphology
dentin
enamel
mechanical properties
micro-computed tomography
title Multi-modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin-enamel junctions
title_full Multi-modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin-enamel junctions
title_fullStr Multi-modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin-enamel junctions
title_full_unstemmed Multi-modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin-enamel junctions
title_short Multi-modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin-enamel junctions
title_sort multi modal comparison of murine and human incisal dentin enamel junctions
topic dental Morphology
dentin
enamel
mechanical properties
micro-computed tomography
url https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/articles/10.3389/abp.2025.14642/full
work_keys_str_mv AT michaeltruhlar multimodalcomparisonofmurineandhumanincisaldentinenameljunctions
AT sobhankatebifar multimodalcomparisonofmurineandhumanincisaldentinenameljunctions
AT bradleyrosenberg multimodalcomparisonofmurineandhumanincisaldentinenameljunctions
AT rolandkroger multimodalcomparisonofmurineandhumanincisaldentinenameljunctions
AT alixcdeymier multimodalcomparisonofmurineandhumanincisaldentinenameljunctions