[Intranuclear rodlet in the odontoblast]

Lower incisors of 6 rabbits (about 3.5 kg, Japanese white, male) were observed by the electron microscopy. The life cycle of rabbit incisor odontoblast is classified into 4 stages by the dentine structure; 1st is outer, 2nd is middle, 3rd is inner and the 4th layer, that is the secondary dentine filling in the center of pulp. Fibrous intranuclear rodlets were observed in the odontoblast of late 2nd and 3rd stages, which forms thick inner half dentine. The odontoblasts of 2nd stage were tall and matrix formation cells, containing well developed golgi apparatus, many RER and secretory granules. The 3rd stage odontoblasts were short and formed the vaso-dentine in the lingual side. Intranuclear rodlets, about 5 nm thick, consisted of 5-20 fibrous or tubular structures. The arrangement of rodlets had no relation to the cell axis. These intranuclear rodlets might be observed only in the last stage odontoblast in the rat incisor. The morphological observations show 1) the term of life cycle of rabbit odontoblast may be more longer than the rat, 2) the intranuclear rodlets may be caused by the stress on the odontoblastic function such as the heat-shock treated fibroblasts.