By the use of intravital labeling with tetracycline antibiotics, it has been possible to determine calcification patterns and the rate of exfoliation of elasmobranch teeth. The results indicate that young lemon sharks lose the most peripheral row of teeth in 14-day sequences, with a continuous replacement mechanism restoring the lost teeth from the deeper dental lamina. The technic used is considered to be applicable to the study of calcification mechanisms and calcium and phosphate metabolism in the elasmobranchs as well as to the determination of growth and exfoliation of dental hard tissues.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Urist, M.R.: Calcium and Phosphorus in the Blood and Skeleton of the Elastnobranchii , Endocrinology69:778-800, 1961.
2.
Boyne, P.J., and Kruglr, G.O.: Fluores-Microscopy of Alveolar Bone Repair, Oral Surg15:265-281, 1962.
3.
Boyne, P.J., and Ller, C.W.: A Study of Tooth Development by Tetracycline Induced Fluorescence , J Dent Res40:1079, 1961.
4.
Grove, D.C., and Randall, W.A.: Assay Methods in Antibiotics (A Laboratory Manual), New York: Medical Encyclopedia, 1955 .
5.
Applegate, S.P.: Tooth Terminology and Variation in Sharks with Special Reference to the Sand Shark, Carcharias Taurus Rafinesque, Contributions in Science (Los Angeles County Museum) No. 86, 1965, pp 3-18.
6.
Lacroix, A.; Monier, J.E.; and Guiller-Met, F.N. : Essais d'une epreuve a l'oxytetracycline dans les osteoporoses, Bull Acad Nat Med148:158-167, 1964.
