[5][6] It is an acidic protein that is thought to play a role in dental enamel mineralization and is implicated in caries susceptibility.

It is also thought to be involved with adaptation to hypoxia, mesenchymal stem cell function, and neurotrophin nerve growth factor mediated neuronal differentiation.

The function of tuftelins is under contention, but it is proposed that it acts to start the mineralization process of enamel during tooth development.

[9][10] Other significant proteins in enamel are amelogenins, enamelins, and ameloblastins.

Danny Deutsch and Aharon Palmon from the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine in Jerusalem.