Autonomic neural signals in bone: Physiological implications for mandible and dental growth

A standardized surgical technique for rat superior cervical ganglionectomy

“…Noradrenergic fibers originating from the SCG innervate the cervical lymph nodes (Romeo et al, 1994) and the thymus, modulating lymphocyte proliferation, migration, and differentiation (Ramaswamy et al, 1990), and regulate inflammation and tissue repair through submandibular gland factors (Mathison et al, 1994). Moreover, the SCGx has become a recognized model to investigate the role of the sympathetic nervous system in bone remodeling (Boggio et al, 2004;Haug and Heyeraas, 2006), carcinogenesis (Romeo et al, 1991b;Raju et al, 2007), and brain vasculature pathophysiology (Nagao et al, 1992;May and Goadsby, 1999;Coutard et al, 2003), and SCGx is considered a potential procedure to unravel paingenerating mechanisms (Perl, 1999;Wasner et al, 2003;Gibbs et al, 2008).…”

Atenolol increases dental mineralization in male offspring of treated hypertensive rats and normotensive rats

“…Experimental evidences have suggested that the sympathetic nervous system also plays an important role in mandibular bone metabolism and dental growth. 25,26 Dental pulp and odontoblast cell lines express osteoprotegerin (osteoclatogenesis inhibitory factor, OPG), RANKL, and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) factors that are crucial for the regulation of osteoclast formation. 16,17 In vivo, RANKL and OPG are located in odontoblasts, ameloblasts, and pulp cells in developing mouse teeth 16 as well as in thickening and bud epithelium, internal and external enamel epithelium, and papilla mesenchyme, 17 which indicates that these factors participate in tooth development.…”