• Applied Microscopy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.145-157
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• 2004

The aim of the present study was to examine in detail, both at light and electron microscopical levels, the morphological variations in ameloblast of the fetal rat incisor enamel organ. Rats were started on distilled water at the beginning of pregnancy. The pups were sacrificed 11 days after delivery and animals were perfused intravascularly with glutaraldehyde and the incisors were removed. To examine on the ultrastructure of the ameloblast, the study employed primary light microscopy but electron microscopy was used to clarify some of the light microscopic finding. Longitudinal sections through the incisors of the rat show a continuous layer of ameloblasts on the labial surface of the tooth. This layer contains the entire sequence of developmental stages in enamel production. The ameloblast layer was divided into three main zones: 1) Presecretory zone, region of ameloblasts facing pulp. 2) Secretory zone, region of inner and outer enamel secretion. 3) Maturation zone, region of reduced ameloblasts. In particularly, the present study has shown that two distinctively different types of ameloblasts appear in the enamel organ during enamel maturation in the rat incisor. These two types have been designated ruffle-ended ameloblasts (rAB) and smooth-ended ameloblasts (sAB). The fluoride produces marked alteration in the fine structure of ameloblast from teeth of young rats, such as large confluent distensions of the endoplasmic reticulum and swelling of isolated mitochondria. This experimental data suggested that exposure prolonged of animal to high level of fluoride appears to induce a few dramatic changes in the normal appositional growth and initial mineralization of enamel created during amelogenesis.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.423-430
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• 2005

Ameloblasts are responsible for the formation and maintenance of enamel which is an epithelially derived protective covering for teeth. Ameloblast differentiation is controlled by sequential epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. However, little is known about the differentiation and maturation mechanisms. OD314 was firstly identified from odontoblasts by subtraction between odontoblast/pulp cells and osteoblast/dental papilla cells, even though OD314 protein was also expressed in ameloblast during tooth formation. In this study, to better understand the biological function of OD314 during amelogenesis, we examined expression of the OD314 mRNA and protein in various stages of ameloblast differentiation using in-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. The results were as follows : 1. The ameloblast showed 4 main morphological and functional stages referred to as the presecretory, secretory, smooth-ended, and ruffle-ended. 2. OD314 mRNA was expressed in secretory ameloblast and increased according to the maturation of the cells. 3. OD314 protein was not expressed in presecretory ameloblast but expressed in secretory ameloblast and maturative ameloblast. OD314 protein was distributed in entire cytoplasm of secretory ameloblast. However, OD314 was localized at the proxiamal and distal portion of the cytoplasm of smooth-ended and ruffle-ended ameloblast. These results suggest that OD314 may play important roles in the ameloblast differentiation and maturation.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2008

Effects of sodium fluoride exposure on the amelogenesis during fetal formation were investigated using 11 days rat incisor of control group and two experimental groups. According to results of morphological analysis using an electron microscope, enamel organ in the rat incisor consisted of presecretory, secretory, and maturation zone, especially maturation zone had ruffle-ended ameloblasts (rAB) that additionally supply inorganic ions and smooth-ended ameloblasts (sAB) that remove water and organic compounds. Such a histological composition was same in fetal and adult rats. According to experimental results using calcein (green fluorescence) in order to reveal the modulation cycle of ameloblast, modulation cycle of experimental group decreased on an average one time than control group, as increase of density of sodium fluoride indicated that thickness of smooth-ended ameloblast decreased. Also ratio of thickness on sagittal total length of sAB increased than rAB in experimental groups than control group. In total length of teeth, an injected 100 ppm sodium fluoride group was similar control group but as injected 200 ppm group became short. In experimental group, thickness of sAB and rAB became narrow to the tip of cutting edge. According to concentration of sodium fluoride grows, the modulation cycle and total length of teeth were decreased, finally it prevented teeth growth.