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Invited Review: Caseins And The Casein Micelle: Their Biological Functions, Structures, And Behavior In Foods, C Holt, J A. Carver, H Ecroyd, D C. Thorn

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

A typical casein micelle contains thousands of casein molecules, most of which form thermodynamically stable complexes with nanoclusters of amorphous calcium phosphate. Like many other unfolded proteins, caseins have an actual or potential tendency to assemble into toxic amyloid fibrils, particularly at the high concentrations found in milk. Fibrils do not form in milk because an alternative aggregation pathway is followed that results in formation of the casein micelle. As a result of forming micelles, nutritious milk can be secreted and stored without causing either pathological calcification or amyloidosis of the mother's mammary tissue. The ability to sequester nanoclusters of …