Summary
The development and structure of marsupial enamel tubules has been studied in a number of species by a variety of microscopical techniques. The results were as follows.
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1.
The undoubted continuity of dentinal and enamel tubules could he traced in all species examined.
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2.
The tubules leave more residue than the surrounding enamel when decalcified.
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3.
The tubules are permeable to dyes in extracted teeth.
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4.
The dyes methyl blue and trypan blue did not reach the enamel tubules from the pulp or blood-stream in in situ adult teeth of Metachirus nudicaudatus.
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5.
The tubular nature of the tubules is well demonstrated in scanning electron micrographs and replicas of fractured enamel and also in replicas of argon-ion beam eroded Macropus molar enamel surface.
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6.
The tubules are situated within the enamel prisms.
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7.
The tubules may be recognized in electron micrographs of developing enamel as regions in which crystallites do not develop.
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8.
The study of enamel tubule development revealed no special features of the ameloblasts or of the nature of the first secreted enamel.
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The Cambridge Instrument Co. “Stereoscan” was provided by the Science Research Council, the Siemens Elmiskop I by the Wellcome Trust, and the Hilger and Watts Stereonieter by Mr. R. V. Ely. We also wish to acknowledge the considerable help we have received from Miss Susan Perry who typed the manuscript.
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Boyde, A., Lester, K.S. The structure and development of marsupial enamel tubules. Z. Zellforsch. 82, 558–576 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00337122
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00337122