title: The structure and function of periodontal ligament cells in acellular cementum in rat molars.
abstract: To elucidate the structure and function of periodontal ligament cells at the periodontal ligament-cementum interface in advanced acellular cementogenesis, the cervical regions of molars in rats aged 6 weeks were observed by light and electron microscopy. The light and transmission electron microscopy showed the periodontal ligament cells to be elongated between dense, well-developed principal fibers. The transmission and scanning electron microscopy showed that these cells extended wing-like projections from the lateral surface, forming cylindrical compartments surrounding the principal fibers. In addition, finger-like projections extended toward the cementum from the cementum-facing ends. The main results suggest the following: at the periodontal ligament-cementum interface, the periodontal ligament cells maintain the architecture of the principal fibers by means of extracellular compartments. The arrangement of finger-like projections results in the formation of acellular cementum containing only Sharpey's fibers as a fibrous component.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Anatomy II, Hokkaido University School of Dentistry, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Domon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wakita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003739:Dental Cementum / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008963:Molar; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar