Abstract:
The experiments reported here were undertaken primarily to investigate further the
histological changes occurring in the enamel organ of the rat’s incisor tooth during
vitamin E deficiency. These changes were originally described by Irving (1942) and
have been confirmed in general by Granados, Mason & Dam (1945, 1946) and by
Pindborg (7950, 1952). It was, however, found by the present writers, usinga diet based
on that of Gillman, Gilbert, Gillman & Spence (1952), that extreme changes in the
enamel organ, avertable by vitamin E, could be produced in 21 days or less, whereas
the changes described by the other authors took much longer to develop and were less
extensive.
In an attempt to determine further the effects of other dietary factors upon the
enamel organ, certain additional findings seemed to be of significance. The present
paper is concerned chiefly with these, and an account of the histological aspect is being
prepared for publication. In particular it was found that the vitamin content of the
oil containing highly unsaturated fatty acids was of importance and also that the
actions of protein and vitamin E, which superficially appeared similar, differed in
certain fundamental respects
