Regulatory factors in pulp biology: a reaction.

A number of developmental processes can be investigated in the mammalian pulp. Of particular interests are those developmental processes related to when, where and how specific phenotypes are expressed in the forming pulp tissues. This "reaction" attempts to highlight the basic processes related to immunological factors associated with accessory cells, growth factors and the determination and differentiation of odontoblasts, and dentin-specific non-collagenous proteins. The three papers associated with these developmental processes provide an exciting glimpse into the emerging advances being made in pulp biology.