TRANSPLANTATION OF TOOTH GERM ELEMENTS AND THE EXPERIMENTAL HETEROTOPIC FORMATION OF DENTIN AND ENAMEL

Abstract

The formation of dentin and enamel in the abdominal wall in young pups was achieved by transplantation of the soft tissues of the developing tooth germ. An interesting finding was the cytomorphosis of the epithelium of the enamel organ. When this was transplanted so that the ameloblasts were in contact with the odontoblasts the cylindrical character of the epithelial cells was preserved and enamel was produced; otherwise the cylindrical shape of these cells was lost and a stratified epithelium resulted, resembling the gingival and certain tumors (the adamantinoma) of the jaw and related structures. This degenerated epithelium did not produce enamel and had an important characteristic of not forming cysts in a closed connective tissue space, instead forming islands and cords of cells with epithelial pearl formation. Thus the influence of mesodermic connective tissue derivatives on the form and function of epithelium is presented. The odonto-blasts were found capable of survival as such and readily formed new dentin in transplantation; the stellate cells of the pulp were inert from the standpoint of inducing calcification.