THE DENTAL PULP 



217 



undergo a very great amount of stretching before they 

 finally give way. 



The nerve fibre in this respect shows a very great difference 

 from the connective-tissue fibre, which is possessed of a very 

 slight amount of extensibility. Many preparations were ex- 

 amined with a high power of the microscope to ascertain if 

 any of the nerve fibres in the deep plexus are distributed to 

 the odontoblast layer without the intervention of the 'end 

 cells ', but there was no evidence of this in sections where 





FIG. 132. Nerve-end cells showing lateral communications, n. Nerve 

 fibre ; /. dentinal fibre. ( x 1,200.) 



the ' end cells ' were distinctly stained. Sometimes one of 

 the larger * end cells ' is seen with fine processes radiating 

 from it on all sides ; but these are scarce, and in most places 

 the beaded delicate fibres which form a network around the 

 odontoblast cells are distinctly seen to be given off from 

 lateral processes of the * end cells '. Sometimes the processes 

 to the dentine appear to be wound together in spirals, 

 and there is often an appearance of fibrillation in the cell 

 body. In many places clear nuclei are seen in the cells. 



There is great variation in the size of these cells, but 

 probably many which appear to be single are really groups 



