The ultrastructural response to loading of the oral mucosa of the vervet monkey.

Abstract

The ultrastructural changes occurring within the epithelium of the palate, attached gingiva, tongue, buccal mucosa, and alveolar mucosa of the vervet monkey when a mechanical load was applied to the tissues was examined. The effect of the load was assessed in terms of changes in epithelial cell and nuclear shape, intracytoplasmic structures, cell membrane interdigitation, intercellular space, and changes in the shape of non‐keratinocytes found within the epithelium. Loading produced a flattening of cells and nuclei throughout the epithelium. Intercellular space was reduced, cell membranes were flattened or else underwent increased interdigitation, tonofilaments became functionally oriented, and cytoplasmic vacuolation took place. The mitochondria appeared unchanged on loading. These changes were more marked in the nonkeratinized buccal and alveolar mucosa than in the keratinized palate, tongue, and attached gingiva. A histometric analysis which was carried out on the normal and loaded attached gingiva and alveolar mucosa revealed that the cells and nuclei of both tissue types underwent a significant change in width when loaded. Loading produced no significant change in the diameter of mitochondria in the basal and spinous layers.