Toothpick: New Molecular Tag IDs Bone And Tooth Minerals

Enlisting an army of plant viruses to their cause, NIST materials researchers have identified a small biomolecule that binds specifically to one of the key crystal structures of the body, the calcium compound that is the basic building block of teeth and bone. With refinements, the researchers say, the new molecule can be a highly discriminating probe for a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications related to bones and teeth.