Structural and stereochemical relations between acidic macromolecules of organic matrices and crystals

Detailed studies of the molecular organization of various mineralized tissues highlight the role played by acidic glycoproteins in controlling crystal formation. In vitro experiments show that these macromolecules are able to interact with specific faces of different crystals, influencing both nucleation and crystal growth. Significantly a common stereochemical motif can be recognized in all the interacting faces studies to date.