Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 29, 2025
Oral Biofilm Formation on Different Materials for Dental Implants
Published on: June 24, 2018
Bisphosphonate's Effect on Tongue Mucosa: An Experimental Electron Microscopy Study
Theodora Papamitsou1, Antonios Morsi-Yeroyannis2, Anastasios Papanastasiou2
1Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Background And Objectives:
Bisphosphonates (BPs) are selective inhibitors of osteoclasts, used for the treatment of bone disorders. The objective of this study is to investigate the possible effects of BPs on the tongue's mucosa.
Materials And Methods:
Specimens of the tongue of 20 female 12-month old Wistar rats were taken. Ten were used as control group, while in the remaining alendronate (Fosamax, Merck) was administered per os from 13 weeks. Observation of the harvested samples was made by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
Results:
In the experimental group, focal alterations were observed to various extent in all specimens. The basement membrane was intact. Furthermore, an increase at the intercellular space was observed, predominantly at the middle layer, and the desmosomes were disorganized. In the lamina propria focal edema was observed.
Conclusions:
Investigation on the effect of BPs on the tongue's mucosa through TEM hasn't been documented in the past. According to our results, BPs seem to cause mild mucosal lesions on the tongue.
