• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.133-139
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• 2016

The ultrastructural parameters related to synaptic release of endings which are presynaptic to tooth pulp afferent terminals (p-endings) were analyzed to understand the underlying mechanism for presynaptic modulation of tooth pulp afferents. Tooth pulp afferents were labelled by applying wheat-germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase to the rat right lower incisor, whereafter electron microscopic morphometric analysis with serial section and reconstruction of p-endings in the trigeminal oral nucleus was performed. The results obtained from 15 p-endings presynaptic to 11 labeled tooth pulp afferent terminals were as follows. P-endings contained pleomorphic vesicles and made symmetrical synaptic contacts with labeled terminals. The p-endings showed small synaptic release-related ultrastructural parameters: volume, $0.82{\pm}0.45{\mu}m^3$ ($mean{\pm}SD$); surface area, $4.50{\pm}1.76{\mu}m^2$; mitochondrial volume, $0.15{\pm}0.07{\mu}m^3$; total apposed surface area, $0.69{\pm}0.24{\mu}m^2$; active zone area, $0.10{\pm}0.04{\mu}m^2$; total vesicle number, $1045{\pm}668.86$; and vesicle density, $1677{\pm}684/{\mu}m^2$. The volume of the p-endings showed strong positive correlation with the following parameters: surface area (r=0.97, P<0.01), mitochondrial volume (r=0.56, P<0.05), and total vesicle number (r=0.73, P<0.05). However, the volume of p-endings did not positively correlate or was very weakly correlated with the apposed surface area (r=-0.12, P=0.675) and active zone area (r=0.46, P=0.084). These results show that some synaptic release-related ultrastructural parameters of p-endings on the tooth pulp afferent terminals follow the "size principle" of Pierce and Mendell (1993) in the trigeminal nucleus oralis, but other parameters do not. Our findings may demonstrate a characteristic feature of synaptic release associated with p-endings.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.375-382
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• 2008

In order to investigate shape of synaptic vesicles of the tooth pulp afferent boutons and their presynaptic endings (p-endings), and the neuroactive substance of the p-endings in the trigeminal nucleus principalis, rat incisor tooth pulp afferents were labeled by the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and quantitative ultrastructural analysis and postembedding immunogold labeling were performed. Labeled tooth pulp afferent boutons contained clear, spherical synaptic vesicles (diameter: $45{\sim}55\;nm$) and occasionally dense core vesicles(diameter: $80{\sim}120\;nm$). They formed symmetrical synapses with unlabeled axon terminals (p-endings) containing pleomorphic synaptic vesicles. The ratio of short to long diameter (form factor) of synaptic vesicles of pulp afferent boutons was 0.6 to 0.99, whereas that of p-endings was 0.25 to 0.99. In addition, most of the p-endings showed GABA-like immunoreactivity. These results indicate that the shape of synaptic vesicles is quite different between the tooth pulp afferent boutons and p-endings, and the p-endings may contain GABA as a neuroactive substance in the trigeminal nucleus principalis.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.219-227
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• 2001

Little is known about processing mechanism of pain sensation of the oral cavity at the 1st synapse of trigeminal sensory nuclei. Serial ultrathin sections of tooth pulp afferent terminals, identified by the transganglionic transport of 1% wheatgerm agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase, were investigated with electron microscope. Quantitative ultrastructural analysis was performed on digitizing tablet connected to Macintoshi personal computer (software; NIH Image 1.60, NIH, Bethesda, MD). Labeled boutons could be classified into two types by the shapes of containing vesicles : S bouton, which contained mainly spherical vesicles (Dia. 45-55 nm) and few large dense cored vesicles (Dia, 80-120nm), and LDCV bouton, which contained spherical vesicles as well as large number of large dense cored vesicles. Most of the parameters on the ultrastructural characteristic and synaptic organization of labeled boutons were similar between S and LDCV boutons, except shapes of containing vesicles. Majority of the labeled boutons showed simple synaptic arrangement. The labeled boutons were frequency presynaptic to dendritic spine, and to a lesser extent, dendritic shaft. They rarely synapsed with soma and adjacent proximal dendrite. A small proportion of labeled boutons made synaptic contacts with presynaptic, pleomorphic vesicles containing endings and synaptic triad. Morphometric parameters of labeled boutons including volume and surface area, total apposed area, mitochondrial volume, active zone area, vesicle number and density showed wide variation and these were not significantly different between S and LDCV boutons. The present study revealed characteristic features on ultrastructure and synaptic connection of pulpal afferents which may involved in transmission of oral pain sensation.