title: Evaluation of a new laboratory model for pulp healing: preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility of using the mouse as an in vivo model for studying pulpal healing in response to restorative procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Direct pulp capping on maxillary first molar teeth with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), overlaid with light-cured composite resin, was performed on nineteen 3-month-old mice. For control teeth, the composite resin was placed in direct contact with the pulp. Animals were killed at 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 5 weeks and 11 weeks postoperatively. Extracted dental tissues were subsequently analysed by haematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry for dentine sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) expression, scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray analysis to determine both pulpal response and dentine bridge formation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 19 mice initially used, 16 were subsequently studied. Histological analyses of pulps directly exposed to MTA for up to 2 weeks demonstrated a distinct structural change in the extracellular matrix. By weeks 5 and 11, a dentine bridge was present in all MTA-treated specimens in which DSPP immunoreactivity was clearly apparent. Scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray analysis enabled confirmation of calcification of the dentine bridge, and demonstrated that it had a globular surface morphology as opposed to the tubular appearance associated with orthodentine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first description of the utilization of a murine model for study of in vivo pulpal repair. This approach provides a novel opportunity to enable the use of genetically modified animals to explore cellular and molecular processes during reparative events.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR S 872, Les Cordeliers, Paris.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: C Naulin
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ifi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berdal
mesh_terms: D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping / Q000379:methods*; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000628:therapy; D003809:Dentin, Secondary / Q000378:metabolism*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D010087:Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000494:pharmacology; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D017640:Silicates / Q000494:pharmacology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000099311:Dentin Sialophosphoprotein
chemical_list: D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D017610:Calcium Compounds; D004338:Drug Combinations; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D010087:Oxides; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D017640:Silicates; D000099311:Dentin Sialophosphoprotein; C086631:mineral trioxide aggregate