Abstract: The invention provides novel dental enamel inspired materials for biomedical and dental applications. The materials are apatite-like calcium phosphate complexes and may comprise apatite, octacalcium phosphate crystals, or mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the materials (calcium phosphate coatings) are mixtures of crystals of apatite and its precursor, octacalcium phosphate, nucleated on a titanium surface. They are prepared using a chemical process leading to the formation of biological apatite which is similar to that found in natural bone and teeth. In one embodiment, the materials are prepared by placing a titanium substrate in a supersaturated calcifyng solution containing native or purified recombinant amelogenins. The presence of the amelogenins modulates apatite crystal growth to mimic in vivo apatite crystal formation.

Abstract: Functionalized amine derivatives are prepared by reacting an amine, a carbonyl derivative, and an organoboron compound under mild conditions. Organoboronic acids (4) react with amines (2) and alpha-hydroxy aldehydes (3) to give anti-alpha-amino alcohols (1) with very high diastereoselectivities (>99% de). When optically pure alpha-hydroxy aldehydes are used in this process, no racemization occurs and the products are obtained with very high enantioselectivities (>99% ee). The reaction also works with unprotected glyceraldehyde to give the corresponding amino diol derivatives, while unprotected carbohydrates give the corresponding amino polyols. The chiral amino alcohol products of this process or their derivatives, react further with metals or non-metals to give adducts that are effective catalysts for a variety of asymmetric reactions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a molecular marker for the identification of pluripotent pre-mesenchymal, pre-hematopoietic stem cells. The invention further provides primitive progenitor cells identified by the molecular marker. Such cells have the potential to differentiate into both mesenchymal and hematopoietic phenotypes, as determined by a proliferative response to inductive growth factors and cytokines, and by their morphologic and cytochemical features.

Abstract: A method for expressing a recombinant protein from bone marrow-derived cells comprises the steps of treating the bone marrow-derived cells in vitro with a TGF&bgr;1 protein, which selects a population of the cells for further treatment. The selected cells can then be expanded, after which a gene encoding a therapeutic protein can be inserted into the expanded cells and thereafter express the therapeutic protein. The transduced cells can then be introduced into a mammal to produce a therapeutic result.