week 3 Dental Anthropology Vocab

Ameloblasts

Differentiation of inner enamel epithelium cells to produce enamel.

Blastocyst

Formation of 2 cell layers. Inner cell mass becoming the embryo and cell migrates inwards to form the endoderm and ectoderm.

Bell Stage

Differentiation of inner empanel epithelium cells to produce enamel (ameloblasts). Differentiation in ectomesenchyme to produce denting (odontoblasts).

Cap Stage

Enamel organ. Condensing ectomesenchyme and now called dental papilla.

Dental Lamina

Line of thickening epithelium.

Dental Papilla

The mass of connective issue located within the developing tooth bud.

Enamel knot

A cluster of epithelial cells during tooth development that acts as a signaling center, providing positional information for tooth shape and regulating the formation of cusps.

Enamel Organ

Form the dental lamina during the bud and cap stages of tooth development. Eventually differentiating into specialized cells called ameloblasts.

Epithelium

The thin tissue forming the outer layer of the body’s surface and lining the alimentary canal and other hollow structures.

Inner Enamel Epithelium

A layer of columnar cells within the enamel organ during tooth development that forms the inner surface of the tooth crown and later differentiates into ameloblasts, the cells responsible for forming tooth enamel.

Mandibular arch

The branchial arch that forms the mandible.

Mesenchyme

Mesodermal embryonic tissue which develops into connective and skeletal tissue. Derived from ectomesenchyme and neural crest cells.

Neural Crest Cells

Come from ectoderm, unique to vertebrates, 4th embryonic tissue.