Our lab focuses on the formation of mineralized tissues of teeth: enamel and dentin. A major focus is the mechanisms by which fluoride affects enamel development, resulting in fluorosed enamel. We have developed systems for culturing the enamel forming ameloblasts alone, or in combination with dental pulp stem cells. The interaction of these cells with extracellular matrix proteins and mineral components direct our long term goals to generate mineralized tooth matrices for use in clinical applications.

Selected Publications

Smith, C.E., Nanci, A., DenBesten, P.K. (1993) Effect of chronic fluoride exposure on morphometric parameters defining the stages of amelogenesis and ameloblast modulation in mandibular rat incisors. Anat Rec 237:243-258.

Liu H., Li W., Gao C, Mathias, R, Gao C, Li W, Mathews CHE, DenBesten PK. (2001) Identification of the calcium sensing receptor in the developing tooth organ. J Bone and Min Res 16:2238-2244

Liu H., Li W., Gao C, Blacher R, Kumagai, DenBesten PK. (2004) Dentonin, a fragment of MEPE, enhanced dental pulp stem cell proliferation. J Dent Res 83:496-499.

Craniofacial and Mesenchymal Biology home page

Mature enamel

Ameloblast (enamel forming)
cells in culture

The UCSF Program in Craniofacial and Mesenchymal Biology

FACULTY

Pamela Den Besten

Enamel and Dentin

The UCSF Program
in Craniofacial and Mesenchymal Biology