Histological study on the prenatal development of the cheek-teeth of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

The prenatal development of cheek-teeth of rabbits was studied by histological methods. Females from 15 to 30 days of gestation were sacrificed and their fetuses were collected and decapitated. The heads were fixed in buffered neutral formalin and paraffin embedded. Sagittal and frontal sections of 7 mu were obtained and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The first tooth-germs observed were the m3 and m3, in the animal of 16 days of fetal life. One day after the m4 and m4 are observed in the bud stage. The last teeth to initiate development in the fetal rabbits are the M3 and M3 at 30 days. Only the m3, m4, m3 and m4 start cementogenesis in the prenatal stage.