title: Russell bodies in dental pulp of permanent human teeth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to characterize the prevalence of Russell bodies in specimens clinically diagnosed as pulpitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis were extracted, fixed, and demineralized. Five nonsymptomatic human teeth extracted for orthodontic purposes were used as controls. All teeth were then processed for light microscopy, for which they were stained variously, or for transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no evidence of Russell bodies in the pulp of 5 nonsymptomatic human teeth. Russell bodies, however, were detected in 31/45 (69%) of pulpitis specimens examined by light microscopy. The basic stains safranin and fucsin gave better visualisation of them than other staining procedures. All pulpitis specimens were histologically characterized as having the features of chronic inflammation. Of 5 specimens of pulpitis teeth evaluated by TEM, all exhibited Russell bodies. There was no morphological distinction among the Russell bodies when view either by light or electron microscopy. These structures appeared either within rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) or they were found in extracellular stroma, suggesting their association with the lysis of cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Russell bodies are prevalent in pulpitis samples with histological features of chronic inflammation, but are not found in all such samples. Russell bodies may not have been frequently detected in the past due to the types of stains employed in histolopathological study of pulps. The mechanistic basis of the association of Russell bodies with the symptoms of irreversible pulpitis is not clear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Dental School, Turin University, Italy. lucianogiardino@libero.it
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giardino
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Savoldi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pontieri
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berutti
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D018870:Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005110:Extracellular Space; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010619:Phenazines; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011671:Pulpitis / Q000473:pathology*; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D010619:Phenazines; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C025485:basic fuchsin; C009195:safranine T