| Abstract
| - Initial enamel crystals of porcine tooth germs were observed by means of high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) and immunoelectron microscopy. The observed spacings of lattice fringes were 0.82 nm, 1.04 nm, 1.39 nm and 1.65 nm. The lattice spacing of 0.82 nm represents the (100) plane of hydroxyapatite (HA). The other value were considered to represent modified octacalciumphosphate (OCP). In the initial process of enamel crystal formation, OCP is a precursor of HA and grows on dentin crystals. OCP transform to HA, probably involving the hydrolysis of OCP and the epitaxial over-growth of HA on OCP.
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