Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 13.7 SEM photograph showing a red blood cell located in a dentin tubule. Color version of figure is
available in the online version of this volume.
anthropology. To understand the anatomy of teeth on a microscopic, histological level, it is
best to first understand them from a macroscopic, gross anatomical level. Once you have
a good foundation in oral biology and dental anthropology, begin to learn about the basic
methods and techniques for histology as introduced in this chapter.
HISTOLOGICAL METHODS
This section of the chapter demonstrates one simple methodology to make slides for
microscopic analysis. As the methodology and technique are very similar for both dental
tissue as well as bone, please refer to the methodology here for dental sections as well.
This section will address common questions and research design concerns anthropologists
face when conducting bone histological analyses. The anthropologist should keep in mind
that human bone samples are very difficult to obtain for histological research due to the
destructive nature of the procurement process (refer to DiGangi and Moore [Chapter 2],
this volume, for a discussion of ethical concerns with destructive analyses); because of
this, careful attention to detail is very important, as is the production of good quality thin
sections (the slices of bones or teeth cut). Keep in mind that depending on the type of project
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