Stellate reticulum

In the stellate reticulum, which forms the middle part of the enamel organ, the neighboring cells are separated by wide intercellular spaces filled by a large amount of intercellular substance. The cells are star shaped, with long processes reaching in all directions from a central body. They are connected with each other and with the cells of the outer enamel epithelium and the stratum intermedium by desmosomes.

The structure of the stellate reticulum renders it resistant and elastic. Therefore it seems probable that it acts as a buffer against physical forces that might distort the conformation of the developing dentino-enamel junction, giving rise to gross morphologic changes. It seems to permit only a limited flow of nutritional elements from the outlying blood vessels to the formative cells. Indicative of this is the fact that the stellate reticulum is noticeably reduced in thickness when the first layers of dentin are laid down, and the inner enamel epithelium is thereby cut off from the dental papilla, its original source of supply.

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Source: Data courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Since the data might have changed, please query MeSH on Stellate reticulum for any updates.

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