Overview: A New Function of Amelogenin: — From Bench to Clinics, and Clinics to Bench—

Periodontal disease is a major concern in dentistry because it causes the loss of periodontal tissue, resulting in tooth loss that induces both aesthetic and functional problems for patients. Various methods have been used to facilitate the regeneration of lost or diseased periodontal tissue. Guide tissue regeneration (GTR) is a widely accepted procedure to promote re-growth of the periodontium ; however, this is often difficult to achieve since periodontal tissue is composed of various types of cells and elements. Treating the site with agents that promote tissue regeneration would be beneficial. Emdogain® (enamel-matrix derivative ; EMD ; Straumann AG, Basel, Switzerland) is a well-known product that stimulates the formation of new bone, cementum and attachment fibers in the area of periodontal tissue loss. It contains enamelmatrix proteins, including mainly amelogenins derived from the developing teeth of the pig. The purpose of this review was to critically evaluate the current state of knowledge of the potential role of amelogenin in the field of periodontal tissue regeneration. This review also provides information regarding the structure and novel functions of amelogenin.