
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Tomes' process
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Tomes’ processes are a histologic landmark identified on an ameloblast. During the synthesis of enamel, the ameloblast moves away from the dentin, forming a projection surrounded by the developing enamel. Tomes’ processes are those projections and give the ameloblast a “picket-fence” appearance under a microscope.
They are located on the secretory, basal, end of the ameloblast.
References
References
- Cate, A.R. Ten. Oral Histology: development, structure, and function. 5th ed. 1998. ISBN 0-8151-2952-1.
- Ross, Michael H., Gordon I. Kaye, and Wojciech Pawlina. Histology: a text and atlas. 4th edition. 2003. ISBN 0-683-30242-6.
