title: Characterization of the ultrastructure of gingival mast cells in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The morphological changes of gingival mast cells of alloxan-induced diabetic rats were studied by electron microscopy. The following observations were made. The cell nucleus and cytoplasm degenerated. The electron density of the granules in the cell cytoplasm clearly decreased. Some granules had dense irregular threads and the granules were surrounded by a thin vacuole. A ghost vacuole formed in some mast cells and disorganized materials accumulated in the cytoplasm. The mast cell nuclei were generally irregular and degenerating mast cells had pyknotic nuclei. General destruction of the cell membrane and granule shedding in some samples was noted and mitochondria with atypical cristae in the cytoplasm of the mast cells were seen. We conclude that the characteristics of the ultrastructure of gingival mast cells in diabetics are distinctive and should be used as criteria for pathogenesis of gingival inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ankara University, 06100 Tandoğan, Ankara, Turkey. ozsoy@science.ankara.edu.tr
authors.forename: Nesrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozsoy
authors.forename: Nursel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gül
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan; D000818:Animals; D015550:Cell Degranulation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000496:Alloxan