Uptake of exogenous fluorescent Di-I by intact junctional epithelium of adult rats allows retrograde labeling of trigeminal sensory neurons.
Junctional epithelium (JE) is the special attachment tissue between gingiva and teeth, and it is well innervated by sensory nerve fibers. We have found that the fluorescent carbocyanine dye, Di-I, can penetrate quickly into intact JE and spread into connective tissue. Di-I containing neurons in trigeminal ganglion were found at 3-7 days and were mostly gone by 3 weeks. We conclude that substances such as Di-I can penetrate through permeable epithelia such as intact JE where they are picked up by sensory nerve fibers and carried to nerve cell bodies.
Sugaya
A
A
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Chudler
E H
EH
Byers
M R
MR
D000818:Animals; D002232:Carbocyanines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004058:Diffusion; D004846:Epithelial Attachment / Q000378:metabolism*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D002232:Carbocyanines; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C024286:3,3'-dioctadecylindocarbocyanine