IN-VITRO DEVELOPMENT OF LOWER 1ST MOLARS FROM THE OSTEOPETROTIC MICROPHTHALMIC (MI) MOUSE

While the precise mechanism of tooth eruption remains unknown it has b een established that for tooth eruption to occur a functioning dental follicle is essential and normal bone resorption is required. In the o steopetrotic microphthalmic (mi) mouse, teeth fail to erupt and develo pment is affected. In the present study, an organ culture technique wa s established to culture successfully lower first molars from normal a nd affected mi mice so as to determine if developmental defects were i ntrinsic to the dental tissue or whether such defects were a result of local environmental factors. Tissue was cultured for up to 13 days an d development assessed morphologically at varying time intervals using standard light microscopy. Teeth developed similarly in both animal g roups studied. The only variation in the appearance of cultured tissue occurred in the cervical loop region with more curling evident in den tal tissue from the affected animals. The results of this study theref ore showed that dental tissue from both normal and affected mi mice ca n be cultured for up to 13 days and that there is no difference in the ir development. It would appear that these teeth have the same ability to develop and consequently erupt, however the local environment infl uences tooth development and alters the eruption potential.