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Why does the investigation of dental tissues help us understand the evolution of vertebrates
The vertebrate tooth consists of three principal mineralized
tissues, a hard surface tissue called enamel or
enameloid, more resilient body dentin, and supportive
bone [Hall, 2005].
Paleozoic jawless vertebrates (Agnatha)
also had a similar structure; their dermal skeleton
(body armor) consisted of tubercles, containing tissues
comparable to teeth, and underlying bony plates ( fig. 1 )
[Smith and Hall, 1990; Donoghue and Sansom, 2002;
Donoghue et al., 2006]. For this reason, the investigation
of dental tissues is critical for elucidating the evolution of
vertebrate skeletal mineralization.
Sources:
- Molecular Evolution and Genetic Defects of Teeth, Cells Tissues Organs, 2007
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