It is produced by cells (odontoblasts) inside the teeth (dental pulp), and in smaller quantities by bone tissues (osteoblasts and osteocytes).
Their distribution in the collagen matrix of the forming dentin suggests these proteins play an important role in the regulation of mineral deposition.
Additional evidence for this correlation is phenotypically manifested in patients with mutant forms of dentin sialophosphoprotein.
Such patients suffer dental anomalies including type III dentinogenesis imperfecta.
This gene encodes two principal proteins of the dentin extracellular matrix of the tooth.