Figure 2. Cells of the tooth germ at the cap stage before (a) and after (b) laser microdissection (scale bars, 100 µm). The white areas in Fig. 2b are areas that had been microdissected. Comparison of the levels of mRNA expression of PKC ßI, PKC ßII, amelogenin (c), and VEGF (d) in the outer enamel epithelium, stellate reticulum, inner enamel epithelium, and dental papilla, with the use of real-time RT-PCR. Data are the mean ± SEM from 5 experiments. PKC ßI and PKC ßII expression levels are not appreciably up-regulated in any of the four areas.