title: Peptidergic nerves in human dental pulp. An immunocytochemical study.
abstract: The peptidergic innervation of human dental pulp was studied with indirect immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase techniques. Pulpal nerve fibres displaying immunoreactivity for cholecystokinin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, C-terminal flanking peptide of neuropeptide tyrosine, leucine-enkephalin, methionine-enkephalin, neuropeptide K, neuropeptide tyrosine, peptide with N-terminal histidine and C-terminal isoleucine, somatostatin-28, substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide were observed. Immunoreactive axon varicosities were detectable within radicular and coronal nerve trunks and within the nerve plexus of Raschkow in the para-odontoblastic region. Many peptidergic nerve fibres were observed in association with blood vessels of various sizes. Substance P- and calcitonin-gene-related peptide-immunoreactive axons were visible in the odontoblastic layer. The occurrence of VIP- and PHI-immunoreactive fibres lends support to the hypothesis that human tooth may be supplied by parasympathetic nerves. The immunocytochemical results here shown provide a morphological basis to previous experimental studies concerning the possible roles of neuropeptides in nociception mechanisms, control of the blood flow and modulation of the inflammatory response in dental tissues.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casasco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calligaro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casasco
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Springall
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Polak
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poggi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchetti
mesh_terms: D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides