Vascular architecture of cat pulp using corrosive resin cast under scanning electron, microscopy

Vascular casts of cat premolar pulps in various stages of growth were made by injection of low-viscosity resin into the pulpal blood vessels. Examination under a scanning electron microscope revealed that, in the young pulp, the main arterioles ascend in the center of the pulp and venules run along the side of the root canal space. The subodontoblastic vascular plexus of the pulp could be distinguished by its characteristic three layers: 1. the terminal capillary network located in the odontoblastic layer; 2. a second layer of the capillary network which is composed of pre- and postcapillaries running parallel to each other; and, finally, 3. the venular network which has a lattice type appearance. The pulp cavity is reduced in size with age (maturation stage), in which the characteristic three vascular layers are changed into a one-layer coarse terminal capillary network which converges directly with the main venules. At this stage the blood vessels, especially the main venules, are also fewer in number.