Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Development of Amelogenin-chitosan Hydrogel for In Vitro Enamel Regrowth with a Dense Interface
Published on: July 10, 2014
Organic structures of developmental origin in human surface enamel
B Nyvad1, O Fejerskov, K Josephsen
1Department of Oral Anatomy, Dental Pathology and Operative Dentistry, Royal Dental College, Aarhus, Denmark.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of organic material in mature enamel surfaces immediately prior to eruption. Thirty-six samples of buccal or lingual enamel from unerupted third molars were prepared for transmission electron microscopy by a method involving demineralization of the enamel after embedding in Epon. The results showed that at time of eruption human surface enamel is a highly porous structure containing large amounts of developmental protein which appear as a variety of triangular, funnel-shaped, or invaginated configurations extending into the enamel. The implications of this finding may be of importance to the understanding of early caries lesion formation in the enamel since organic structures may modify the diffusion of ions in and out of the tissue.
Related Concept Videos
Bone Structure
Accessory Structures of the Skin: Hair and Hair Follicles
Hair is a keratinous filament growing out of the epidermis. It is primarily made of dead, keratinized cells. Hair strands originate at the epidermal penetration called the hair follicle. The hair shaft is the part...
Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into...
Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...
Teeth
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 and...
Tooth Anatomy
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 grinding food.

