title: [Changes in expression of gelatinase in young rat condylar cartilage during functional mandibular advancement].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the changes in expression of gelatinase (MMP-2, MMP-9) in young rat condylar cartilage during functional mandibular advancement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty male 5-week old SD rats were divided into experimental and control groups. The mimic functional appliances were used in experimental group rats. The animals were sacrificed after 1, 2, 4 weeks. The immunoreactivity of gelatinase was detected by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normal mandibular condylar cartilage, the immunoreactivity of MMP-2 was rather strong, the immunoreactivity of MMP-9 was very weak. Following functional mandibular advancement, the expression of MMP-9 was significantly increased (P < 0.01), but immunoreactivity of MMP-2 had no significant changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gelatinase plays an important role in the adaptive remondling of young rat condylar cartilage during functional mandibular advancement.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sheng-Guo
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yang-Xi
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage; D018093:Gelatinases; D008297:Male; D019186:Mandibular Advancement; D008335:Mandibular Condyle; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D018093:Gelatinases; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2