Epithelial-mesenchymal Interactions during Odontogenesis

Recently we reported ultrastructural observatlons which indicated that matrix vesicles were actual constituents of the intercellular organic matrix during embryonic tooth development (14). It is assumed that many of these matrix vesicles are involved in formative aspects of dentinogenesis or amelogenesis, two primary extracellular processes that occur during embryonic tooth formation The fractionation of matrix vesicles from carfilage by means of demineralization followed by collagenase dtgestion of the organic matrix and subsequent differential centrlfugation has been reported (1) and recently reviewed with respect