title: Association between plaque accumulation and Langerhans cell numbers in the oral epithelium of attached gingiva.
abstract: After gingival health had been achieved in four subjects they were instructed to cease all oral hygiene measures. At 0, 8 and 21 days Plaque and Gingival Indices were recorded and gingival biopsies were removed from the buccal aspect of a first molar. Frozen sections of the gingival oral epithelium were stained for ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase to determine the number of Langerhans cells in a defined cross-sectional area. It was found that, as plaque accumulated, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of Langerhans cells in oral epithelium, particularly in the stratum spinosum. These results indicate that dental plaque can elicit a response in Langerhans cells located in the oral epithelium of the gingiva.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors