title: NK and NKT cells in the rat dental pulp tissues.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to elucidate the presence of natural killer (NK) and natural killer T (NKT) cells in rat dental pulp.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats (n = 10) were used. The presence of NK and NKT cells in the coronal and root pulps of the lower first molars was detected immunohistochemically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infiltration of NK and NKT cells into the normal pulp was observed, and most of these cells were located in the coronal pulp rather than in the root pulp. The population of NKT cells in the pulp was only small compared to the population of NK cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NK and NKT cells are present in normal pulp, indicating an important role for the innate immune system in the pulp tissues.
authors.affiliation: Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Center of Excellence (COE) Program for Frontier Research on Molecular Destruction and Reconstruction of Tooth and Bone, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. kawashima.n.endo@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Indra
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wongyaofa
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hiromi Nakano
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Kawanishi
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms