Inner enamel epithelium cell production rates.

Crowning of all four rat incisors slows down their eruption rate, leading to a diminution of cell production by the inner enamel epithelium (IEE). The production rate by 100 progenitor cells is dominated as production rate %. The normal IEE in rats weighing 200 g produces daily 67 cells %. In the crowned incisor this rate drops to 15 cells % while during accelerated eruption rate and IEE cell production rate remains unchanged and an eruption of 6-4 mum reflects a production of 1 cell % by the IEE. A method which relates labelled cell displacement along the IEE with its cell production rate is described and its applicability to other cell renewal systems discussed.