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Nature 455, 747-748 (9 October 2008) | doi:10.1038/455747a; Published online 8 October 2008

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Developmental biology: Teeth in double trouble

Georgy Koentges1

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Almost all vertebrates have teeth of some sort. But where, in developmental terms, do teeth come from? Results drawn from experimental embryology provide an illuminating perspective on this contentious question.

Teeth are made of some of the hardest stuff in organic nature, and many fossil vertebrates are known only from their dental remains. So teeth are central for systematic classification and reconstruction of animal life-histories, not to mention forensic science, horror movies and musicals.

  1. Georgy Koentges is at the Systems Biology Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
    Email: g.koentges@warwick.ac.uk

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