View source for Stellate reticulum

{{short description|Cells present in a developing tooth}}
{{Infobox embryology
| Name        = Stellate reticulum
| Latin       = reticulum stellatum
| Image       = Cervical-loop.png
| Caption     = The cervical loop area: (1) [[dental follicle]] cells, (2) dental [[mesenchyme]], (3) [[odontoblast]]s, (4) [[dentin]], (5) '''stellate reticulum''', (6) outer enamel epithelium, (7) inner enamel epithelium, (8) [[ameloblast]]s, (9) enamel.
| Image2      =
| Caption2    =
| Location = Developing [[tooth]]
}}
[[File:Ameloblastoma - very high mag.jpg|thumb|[[Micrograph]] showing stellate reticulum in an [[ameloblastoma]]. [[H&E stain]].]]

In [[animal tooth development]], the '''stellate reticulum''' is a group of [[cell (biology)|cells]] located in the center of the [[enamel organ]] of a developing [[tooth]].  These cells are star-shaped (hence ''stellate'') and synthesize [[glycosaminoglycan]]s.  As glycosaminoglycans are produced, [[water]] is drawn in between the cells, stretching them apart.  As they are moved further away from one another, the stellate reticular cells maintain contact with one another through [[desmosome]]s, resulting in their unique appearance.
The stellate reticulum is lost after the first layer of enamel is laid down. This brings cells in the inner enamel epithelium closer to blood vessels at the periphery.

==References==
* Orbans Oral histology and embryology – 10th ed.
* Cate, A.R. Ten. Oral Histology: development, structure, and function. 5th ed. 1998. {{ISBN|0-8151-2952-1}}.
* Ross, Michael H., Gordon I. Kaye, and Wojciech Pawlina. Histology: a text and atlas. 4th edition. 2003. {{ISBN|0-683-30242-6}}.

 {{Tooth development}}
 [[Category:Tooth development]]


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