Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Rooting it Out
05 June 2016

Rooting it Out

Beyond the hard white business end (crown) we may not give much thought to what makes up our teeth. When they form, the root and crown develop separately. Cells already in position in the jaw create each two-layered root – dentin on the inside and cementum on the outside – but nobody knew which cells they were. Now, in mice, researchers have identified a group of cells bearing an active osterix gene, which make both layers. To complete their development a series of genes, including PTHrP, become active in these root cells. If PTHrP is stopped from working, teeth have much shorter roots and don’t erupt from the gums. Pictured are developing teeth, with the cells containing active PTHrP stained blue in a dense line at the under surface where the root will form. The next step is to figure out the role of PTHrP, and what other genes are involved.

Written by Esther Redhouse White

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.