Proteoglycans and dental biology: the first review

Proteoglycans (PGs) are proteins which are vital components located in the extracellular matrix, cell surface or intracellular granules. They are linked to polysaccharides called glycosaminoglycans. There are several aspects associated with PGs, such as cell signaling and organization of the extracellular matrix (ECM), making them pivotal participants in many tissue compositions. In teeth, PGs also play an essential role, as many of its components have elaborate ECM structures. However, lack of information on how PGs constitute the various tissues of the tooth and on their roles makes it difficult to elicit the major importance associated with this class of proteins. This review seeks to detail how proteoglycans are involved in many aspects of tooth organization and development, and as far as we are concerned, this has not been performed yet. We have also exemplified the participation of small leucine-rich proteoglycans, a special class of PGs seen in dental trauma cases.