164 NORMAL HISTOLOGY AND ORGANOGRAPHY. 



the root. They produce the cementum and there- 

 fore resemble the osteoblasts of bone. They have a 

 single deep-staining nucleus and irregular processes 

 that fit around and between the fibers and also ex- 

 tend into the cementum. A cementoblast may be- 

 come enclosed in the cementum and thus form a 

 lacuna which it completely fills, thus making a 



Fibro- 

 blasl. 





m 

 .&sJ 

 ^s^ 



-Cemen- 



Fig. 119. Peridental membrane next to the cementum highly mag- 

 nified (Noyes). 



relatively few in old teeth. The single nucleus stains 

 deeply, being rich in chromatin. The cells are small 

 and, as their name implies, their function is the pro- 

 duction of fibers that give support to the tooth. 



2. The cementoblasts are flat irregular cells that 

 fit in and adjust themselves between the fibers so as 

 to form a single layer everywhere over the surface of 



