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Dental sensory receptor structure in human teeth
Margaret R Byers1, Scott J Neuhaus, John D Gehrig
1Center for Research in Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, Departments of Anesthesiology, Biological Structure, and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash. 98195 U.S.A.
Pain
|July 1, 1982
Summary
Sensory nerve endings in human teeth form junctions with connective tissue cells and other nerve endings within the pulp and dentin. These detailed cellular interactions provide insights into dental sensory mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Cell Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Understanding the cellular interactions of sensory nerve endings in dental tissues is crucial for elucidating pain mechanisms.
- Previous studies have provided limited detail on the specific junctions formed between nerve endings and surrounding cells in the pulp and dentin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the ultrastructural junctions between sensory nerve endings and associated cells in human dental pulp and dentin.
- To investigate the spatial relationships and types of cell-cell contacts involved in dental sensory transmission.
Main Methods:
- Utilized high-resolution electron microscopy to examine normal human extracted teeth.
- Focused analysis on the crown tip, including the pulp, dentin, predentin, and odontoblast layers.
Main Results:
- Identified two main sets of associated cells: connective tissue cells (fibroblasts, odontoblasts) and nerve endings (axons).
- Observed desmosome and gap junctions between connective tissue cells, and various appositions between axons and Schwann cells, fibroblasts, and odontoblasts.
- Noted consistent intercellular spacing (15-20 nm) at appositions, with closer spacing (5-10 nm) in axo-axonic contacts within the plexus of Raschkow, cell-free zone, predentin, and dentin.
Conclusions:
- The study defines specific cellular junctions and spatial arrangements of sensory nerve endings within human teeth.
- These findings contribute to a better understanding of the cellular basis of dental sensory mechanisms and pain perception.