Cervical loop

The cervical loop is a histologic term indicating a specific epithelial structure at the apical side of the tooth germ, consisting of loosely aggregated stellate reticulum in the center surrounded by stratum intermedium.

At this point it is usually referred to as HERS instead of the cervical loop to indicate the structural difference.

It is thought that the central epithelial tissue of the cervical loop, the stellate reticulum, acts as a stem cell reservoir.

In continuously growing teeth such as the rodent incisor the original structure of the cervical loop is maintained and no HERS forms.

The stem cells provide the epithelial progeny to sustain the continuous growth.