Immunohistochemical and electron microscopy aspects of the nerve structures from the dental pulp

In this study, we have done an immunohistochemical and an electron microscopy examination of normal and inflamed human dental pulp specimens in order to evaluate the morphological aspects of the nerve structures from the dental pulp. The S100 protein immunohistochemical marking allowed us to observe the trajectory of the pulp nervous structures, which appear as continuous bands of high intensity at radicular level, coronary branch out and some branches cross the odontoblastic layer and penetrate in predentin along the dentinal tubules. It appears that not only the nerve structures are positive S100 protein but also macrophages or dendritic cells. The electron microscopic part presents the ultrastructure details of the nervous structures observed on the samples from normal and inflamed pulp conjunctive tissues. Even in acute pulpitis no ultrastructural changes occur in the nerve fibers, prolonged exposure to noxious factors may lead to changes like nerve sprouting.