Reversion of Acp Nanoparticles into Pre-nucleation Clusters via Surfactant for Promoting Biomimetic Mineralization: A Physicochemical Understanding of Bio-surfactant Role in Biomineralization Process.

Amphiphilic biomolecules are abundant in mineralization front of biological hard tissues, which play a vital role in osteogenesis and dental hard tissue formation. Amphiphilic biomolecules function as bio-surfactants, however, their bio-surfactant role in biomineralization process has never been investigated. This study, for the first time, demonstrated that aggregated ACP nanoparticles could be reversed into dispersed ultrasmall PNCs via breakdown and dispersion of the ACP nanoparticles by a surfactant. The reduced surface energy of ACP@TPGS and the electrostatic interaction between calcium ions and the pair electrons on oxygen atoms of C-O-C of D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) provided driving force for breakdown and dispersion of ACP nanoparticles into ultrasmall PNCs which promote in vitro and in vivo biomimetic mineralization. The ACP@TPGS possessed excellent biocompatibility without any irritations to oral mucosa and dental pulp. This study not only introduces surfactant into biomimetic mineralization field, but also excites attention to the neglected bio-surfactant role during biomineralization process. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.