Basal cell characteristics in human oral epithelium adhered to the tooth in vivo and to and inert substrate in vitro

Abstract

Basal cells were immunocytochemically localized with a monoclonal anti‐cytokeratin antibody in the human masticatory cpithelium. The antigen was also found in the junctional epithelium and in the epithelial rests of Malassez in vivo, as well as in the cells growing along a Milliporea filter under a mucosal explant in vitro. The equivalent expression of the basal cell specific antigen in the cells adjacent to the tooth in vivo and along the filter in culture suggests that inert substrates as such or through the extracelluiar matrix synthesized in between, have an influence on the course of epithelial differentiation. This was further supported by the finding that the cells in contact with the filter attained basal cell appearance and Incorported 3H‐thymidine. However, there was no direct corrclation between the expression of the specific antigne and the event of cell proliferation. The antigen was associated with the pluripotency rather than with an apparent function of the positive cells.