Rapid determination of dry weight in human dental pulp by a colorimetric reaction

This study was designed to assess total carbohydrate (TC) concentration, as well as the noncollagenous protein content, in human dental pulp. Pulps were obtained from eight premolars (13.10 +/- 4.33 mg weight, mean +/- SD) and homogenized in saline solution. TC content was as follows: 16.68 +/- 9.49 micrograms/mg of tissue (mean +/- SD); 3.22 +/- 1.69 ng of TC/mg protein (mean +/- SD); and 16.23 +/- 6.80 micrograms of TC/mg total organic material (mean +/- SD). The high concentration of carbohydrates observed in the pulp is a result of the presence of glycoproteins, glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin-6-sulfate, heparan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and dermatan sulfate), and proteoglycans, whose structural, biochemical, and physiological functions have been well documented. Dry weight determination using dichromate solution was used because it shows less dispersion than when the data on carbohydrates and proteins are expressed as wet weight.