Gingival Biopsy Specimens Research Articles

Acute ulcerative gingivitis: immune complex.

Study of gingival biopsy specimens from patients with acute ulcerative gingivitis showed that immune complex formation has no role in the pathogenesis of this disease.

A METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF TISSUE COMPONENTS AND NUMBER OF MAST CELLS IN THE GINGIVA.

ABSTRACTA new, systematic and precise method, used for the quantiative estimation of the principal tissue components (epithelial, connective tissue, vascular and inflammatory) of the gingiva and the number of mast cells per unit area of gingival tissue is described in detail. About 500 gingival sections were studied and more thatn 30,000 mast cells were counted with this method.The material consisted of gingival biopsy specimens removed from 137 patients with either clinically normal or infamed and hyperplastic gingiva.The biopsy technique and the processing of the gingival tissues are described. The sections were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin, Toluidine Blue, Astrablau and Periodic Acid‐Schiff's method.The instruments used in this study, the micrometer component quantitator and an alternative, the light microscope tissue quantitator are also described. Examples of the results obtained are presented and other considerations related to this method are discussed.

The three-dimensional morphology of the epithelium-connective tissue interface of the gingiva as related to age and sex.

abstract – The morphology of the epithelium‐connective tissue interface was studied in gingival biopsy specimens of 29 male and 16 female Caucasians. Ten were 7–13 years of age, twenty 20–25, and fifteen 65–77 years of age. Separate three‐dimensional wax models (200 ×) were produced of the epithelium and connective tissue of the oral aspect of the free and attached gingiva. The average height, width, and number of connective tissue papillae or ridges and the average width of epithelial ridges were assessed for each specimen. In ten specimens of each age group measurements were made of the contact area between the epithelium and connective tissue. The length of the basement membrane and the volume of the epithelium was assessed within the same area. The essential age change of the epithelium‐connective tissue interface is the conversion of the connective tissue ridges to papillae. The contact area between the epithelium and connective tissue increases from the prepuberty to 20–25 years of age. The volume of the epithelium does not change with age. Sex‐related variations could not be observed.

Immune adherence with keratinized human oral mucosa and human serum.

abstract – All normal human sera examined have been shown to contain complement‐fixing antibody to an antigen present in stratum corneum of human skin. By immune adherence with human sera and sections of frozen biopsy specimens, the antigen was found to be present in sections of keratotic and parakeratotic areas of human gingiva, tongue, alveolar, buccal, and palatal mucosa. Serum from biopsy donors mediated the adherence reaction. Absorption with a phenol‐water extract (water phase) of stratum corneum of skin removed the antibodies. The antigen was not detected in non‐keratinized areas of human oral mucosa, including gingival crevice and cuff epithelium. Erythrocytes also adhered to keratinized epithelium in gingival biopsy specimens fixed in ethanol and cleared in xylene at 4° C prior to sectioning and incubation with human serum.

A Histochemical Evaluation for Small Vessel Calcification in Human Nondiabetic and Diabetic Gingival Biopsy Specimens

A Histochemical Evaluation for Small Vessel Calcification in Human Nondiabetic and Diabetic Gingival Biopsy Specimens

Metachromatic cells in the gingiva in Hurler's syndrome

Characteristic Hurler's cells were found in gingival biopsy specimens from eight patients with Hurler's syndrome but not in specimens from patients with Morquio's disease or periodontal disease or from healthy children. Hurler's cells were more numerous in the older affected children, very few being found in the youngest child with Hurler's syndrome. In some cases difficulty was experienced in determining whether an individual cell was a mast cell or a Hurler's cell. Until this problem is solved, gingival biopsy cannot be considered a reliable procedure in the diagnosis of this disease, especially in young children suspected of having Hurler's syndrome. However, it may be of diagnostic value in older children suspected of suffering from this disorder.