Related Experiment Videos
Peripheral nerves and mast cells in normal buccal mucosa
H Ruokonen1, J Hietanen, M Malmström
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Helsinki University, Finland.
Summary
Peripheral nerves, identified by PGP 9.5 and neurofilament, are densest in the middle layers of human buccal mucosa. No direct relationship was found between these nerve fibers and mast cells in this tissue.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Oral Biology
Background:
- The buccal mucosa contains a complex network of peripheral nerves and immune cells like mast cells.
- Understanding the topographical distribution and interactions of these cells is crucial for comprehending oral tissue physiology and pathology.
- Previous studies have suggested potential neuro-immune interactions in various tissues, but specific data for the buccal mucosa is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution of nerve fibers, marked by PGP 9.5 and neurofilament, within the human buccal mucosa.
- To determine the density and distribution of mast cells in relation to nerve fibers.
- To analyze the spatial relationship between nerve profiles and mast cells to assess potential neuron-effector associations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized immunohistochemistry with PGP 9.5 and neurofilament markers to identify nerve fibers in human buccal mucosa samples from healthy volunteers.
- Employed morphometric analysis to quantify the density of nerve fiber profiles and mast cells across different layers of the lamina propria.
- Conducted double staining procedures to examine the spatial proximity between nerve fiber profiles and mast cells.
Main Results:
- The densest innervation, characterized by PGP 9.5 and/or neurofilament-immunoreactive profiles, was observed in the middle layers of the lamina propria (5.9-6.1/mm²).
- Mast cell density decreased from superficial to deep layers, with lower numbers (69-72/mm²) in the middle, densely innervated layers compared to superficial layers.
- Analysis revealed no preferential spatial association between nerve fiber profiles and mast cells, indicating a lack of direct neuron-mast cell interaction in this tissue.
Conclusions:
- The middle layers of the lamina propria in normal human buccal mucosa exhibit the highest density of peripheral nerve fibers.
- Mast cell distribution in the buccal mucosa is inversely related to the density of innervation.
- The study found no evidence of a direct spatial relationship or preferential association between peripheral nerve fibers and mast cells in normal buccal mucosa, suggesting such interactions may not be a significant feature of this tissue.