The vascular pattern in the papillary region of rat incisor and molar tooth enamel organ.

Scanning electron microscopy of the enamel organ of rat incisor and molar teeth in the maturation stage of amelogenesis revealed two vascularization patterns of the papillary layer. In one pattern, the anastomosing capillaries formed loops of varying sizes around spherical or somehwat oblong papillae. In the second pattern, the capillaries were parallel to each other embedded in furrows between long ridges of papillary cells. It is postulated that each of these two patterns may be associated with a specific stage in the process of enamel maturation.