Morphological and functional characteristics of human gingival junctional epithelium

Abstract

BackgroundThis study aims to observe the morphological characteristics and identify the function characteristics of junctional epithelium (JE) tissues and cultured JE cells.MethodsParaffin sections of human molar or premolar on the gingival buccolingual side were prepared from 6 subjects. HE staining and image analysis were performed to measure and compare the morphological difference among JE, oral gingival epithelium (OGE) and sulcular epithelium (SE). Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression pattern of cytokeratin 5/6, 7, 8/18, 10/13, 16, 17, 19, and 20 in JE, OGE and SE. On the other hand, primary human JE and OGE cells were cultured in vitro. Cell identify was confirmed by histology and immunohistochemistry. In a co-culture model, TEM was used to observe the attachment formation between JE cells and tooth surface.ResultsHuman JE was a unique tissue which was different from SE and OGE in morphology. Similarly, morphology of JE cells was also particular compared with OGE cells cultured in vitro. In addition, JE cells had a longer incubation period than OGE cells. Different expression of several CKs illustrated JE was in a characteristic of low differentiation and high regeneration. After being co-cultured for 14 d, multiple cell layers, basement membrane-like and hemidesmosome-like structures were appeared at the junction of JE cell membrane and tooth surface.ConclusionsJE is a specially stratified epithelium with low differentiation and high regeneration ability in gingival tissue both in vivo and in vitro. In co-culture model, human JE cells can form basement membrane-like and hemidesmosome-like structures in about 2 weeks.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Biofilm Reduces Gingival Epithelial Cell Keratin Expression in an Organotypic Gingival Tissue Culture Model

“…Our major findings were that the A. actinomycetemcomitans biofilm caused decreased expression of cytokeratins, which is typical for the dentogingival junction and necrosis of the epithelial surface layers in close contact to the biofilm. Our tissue culture model appeared to mimic JE well, as K19, the typical keratin for JE, was highly expressed in the control cultures [6]. Our finding of decreased K19 expression adjacent to the A. actinomycetemcomitans biofilm is in disagreement with earlier reports showing that the inflammation in the periodontal pocket increases K19 expression [3,7].…”

“…To gain insight into this question, we examined keratin K4, K13, K17, and K19 expression and distribution in an organotypic gingival tissue culture model co-cultured with a periodontopathogenic A. actinomycetemcomitans biofilm. Keratin K19 was chosen since it is typical and most dominant keratin in the JE [5,6] and we wanted to investigate how well the tissue culture model mimics the JE. We found that the expression of K17 and K19, as well as total keratin expression, decreased in the suprabasal layers of epithelium, which were in close contact with the A. actinomycetemcomitans biofilm.…”

Construction and characterization of a multilayered gingival keratinocyte culture model: the TURK-U model

“…While Ck5 is a marker of the stratified epithelium, Ck7 is often found in single epithelia (Haines and Lane 2012). Interestingly, both Ck5 and Ck7 are present in the junctional epithelium (Jiang et al 2014). Moreover, Ck19, which is considered a major differentiation marker of the junctional epithelium, stains strongly in the HMK model (Jiang et al 2014).…”

“…Interestingly, both Ck5 and Ck7 are present in the junctional epithelium (Jiang et al 2014). Moreover, Ck19, which is considered a major differentiation marker of the junctional epithelium, stains strongly in the HMK model (Jiang et al 2014). In the present study, Ck10, an early terminal differentiation marker, was visible only in HaCaT model at days 1 and 4.…”

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“…Gingival epithelium consists of three regions: oral gingival epithelium (OGE), sulcular epithelium (SE) and junctional epithelium (JE). JE is a specialized gingival epithelium locating at the junction of periodontal soft tissue and hard tissue, and attaching to the crown or root like a collar [1]. Layered epithelium of the gingiva consists of four layers the Stratum basale, Stratum spinosum, Stratum granulosum and Stratum corneum.…”