Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Tooth Anatomy

Tooth Anatomy

The human tooth enables us to eat a variety of foods, speak clearly, and even aid in shaping our faces. Teeth are composed of various elements that work together. Here's a detailed look at the anatomy of a human tooth.
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...

Teeth

Teeth

The formation of teeth, also known as odontogenesis, is a complex process that begins in utero, around the sixth week of embryonic development. There are three stages to this process: the bud stage, the cap stage, and the bell stage.
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...

Overview of the Skull

Overview of the Skull

The cranium (skull) is the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain. It is subdivided into the facial bones and the brain case, or cranial vault. The facial bones underlie the facial structures, form the nasal cavity, enclose the eyeballs, and support the teeth of the upper and lower jaws.
The cranial vault surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

In situ loading and patterns of trabecular deformation in the intermediale of the vertebral centrum of a great hammerhead.

Journal of structural biology·2026

Same author

Micrometer-scale structure in shark vertebral centra.

Acta biomaterialia·2024

Same author

Surgical navigation for guidewire placement from intraoperative fluoroscopy in orthopaedic surgery.

Physics in medicine and biology·2023

Same author

Deformable 3D-2D Registration of Known Components for Image Guidance in Spine Surgery.

Medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention : MICCAI ... International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention·2023

Same author

Clinical and radiological comparison between partial and complete resection of the anterior cruciate ligament in patients with mucoid degeneration of the anterior cruciate ligament: a controlled clinical trial.

Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery·2022

Same author

Spontaneous healing of acute ACL ruptures: rate, prognostic factors and short-term outcome.

Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology

Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology

Published on: August 22, 2022

Cementum structure in Beluga whale teeth.

S R Stock¹, L A Finney², A Telser¹

¹Dept. of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.

Acta Biomaterialia

|November 13, 2016

Summary

Beluga whale teeth cementum growth bands (GLGs) show mineral content variations, not collagen differences. Zinc intensity is a sensitive indicator of biomineralization changes in these whale age markers.

Keywords:

Ca Cementum Dentin Odontocete Synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction X-ray fluorescence Zn growth layer groups (GLGs)

More Related Videos

A Protocol for Bioinspired Design: A Ground Sampler Based on Sea Urchin Jaws

A Protocol for Bioinspired Design: A Ground Sampler Based on Sea Urchin Jaws

Published on: April 24, 2016

Author Spotlight: Establishing an Accurate Microhardness Testing Protocol for Craniofacial Tissues

Author Spotlight: Establishing an Accurate Microhardness Testing Protocol for Craniofacial Tissues

Published on: April 26, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology

Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology

Published on: August 22, 2022

A Protocol for Bioinspired Design: A Ground Sampler Based on Sea Urchin Jaws

A Protocol for Bioinspired Design: A Ground Sampler Based on Sea Urchin Jaws

Published on: April 24, 2016

Author Spotlight: Establishing an Accurate Microhardness Testing Protocol for Craniofacial Tissues

Author Spotlight: Establishing an Accurate Microhardness Testing Protocol for Craniofacial Tissues

Published on: April 26, 2024

Area of Science:

Paleontology
Biomineralization
Zoology

Background:

Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) teeth cementum contains annular growth bands (GLGs) crucial for age determination.
Cementum, a mineralized tissue, attaches periodontal ligaments and is primarily carbonated apatite and collagen.
Previous studies suggested collagen orientation differences cause GLG banding, not mineral content variations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the microstructural composition of Beluga whale cementum growth layer groups (GLGs).
To determine the factors responsible for the formation of annual light-dark bands in Beluga whale cementum.
To assess the role of zinc in the biomineralization process within cementum.

Main Methods:

Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping to analyze elemental distribution (Ca, Zn).
Synchrotron X-ray diffraction mapping to analyze mineral phase (carbonated hydroxyapatite - cAp).
Microbeam analysis of Beluga whale teeth cementum thin sections.

Main Results:

Calcium (Ca) and Zinc (Zn) fluorescent intensities correlate with carbonated hydroxyapatite (cAp) diffracted intensities, matching visible light-dark bands.
The ratio of Zn to Ca is slightly higher in bands with maximum Ca and Zn intensity.
GLG modulation of cAp, Ca, and Zn is preserved for over 25 years in the cementum.
Banding in Beluga whale cementum is attributed to differences in mineral content, not collagen orientation.

Conclusions:

Beluga whale cementum growth bands result from variations in mineral content, specifically Ca and Zn concentrations.
Zinc plays a significant role in cementum biomineralization, and its fluorescent intensity is a sensitive indicator of these changes.
The findings clarify the microstructural basis of GLGs in Beluga whale teeth, supporting their use in age estimation.