MICROCIRCULATION OF HUMAN FETAL TOOTH BUDS - A SEM STUDY OF CORROSIONCASTS

The microcirculation of tooth buds at the bell stage obtained from 5-m onth-old human fetuses was studied using corrosion casting and scannin g electron microscopy. Each tooth bud has two independent vascular net works: one of the enamel organ and one of the dental papilla. Both sys tems are supplied by vertical branches of the inferior alveolar artery . The vascular bed of the enamel organ consists of capillaries relativ ely uniform in shape, forming a moderately dense network with irregula r meshes. In contrast, the vasculature of dental papilla is extremely dense and its vessels show a sinusoidal character and signs of a vivid angiogenesis. The cast surfaces of capillaries in both vascular syste ms show the presence of tiny blebs probably representing extravasation s of the casting medium through endothelial fenestrations.