Objective: This study investigated the influence of fluoride levels on the temporal synthesis of bone-associated glycoproteins, which have been assigned prominent roles in regulating crystal growth, size and shape during the mineralization process.
Materials and methods: Bone marrow stromal cells were isolated from male Wistar rats and cultured under mineralizing conditions, supplemented with 0 M, 10(-7) M or 10(-5) M sodium fluoride. The presence of bone-associated glycoproteins was examined 2-13 days post-reseeding by immunocytochemical localization. Results: All bone-associated glycoproteins increased in 10(-7) M fluoride, compared to untreated controls, particularly at days 6 and 13 in culture. Conversely, higher 10(-5) M fluoride concentrations decreased glycoprotein levels, compared to controls.
Conclusions: Results highlight a differential effect of fluoride concentration on glycoprotein synthesis by osteoblasts.
Keywords: bone; bone-associated glycoproteins; fluoride; mineralization; osteoblasts.