The Oxytalan Fiber System in the Mandibular Periodontal Ligament of the Lathyritic Mouse

Abstract

Experimental lathyrism was produced in young albino mice with a diet containing 50 % sweet pea seed (Lathyrus odoratiis). After 7 days on the lathyritic diet, sections of the mandibular molar and incisor periodontal ligaments, when oxidized and treated wi(h aldehyde fuchsin, demonstrated enhanced staining of the oxytalan fibers and numerous vessels. At this time aldehyde fuchsin or orcein also revealed marked pathological changes in (he periodontal ligament of all molars. When lathyrism was prolonged for 12 weeks, both the molar and incisor oxytalan systems were still readily identifiable although the molar periodontal ligament continued to be severely affected by lathyrism. The oxytalan fibers retained their characteristic tooth-vascular association in all of the lathyritic mice. Oxytalan fibers of the lathyritic and control animals showed similar reactions to enzyme digestion with beta-glucuronidase, elastase, and pepsin. However, gingival elastic fibers reacted in a different way from oxytalan fibers with beta-glucuronidase and elastase treatment. These findings indicate that in (he lathyritic mouse the oxytalan fiber system of functioning teeth possesses a high degree of permanence and is metabolically distinct from collagen and elastic fibers.

Light and ultrastructural relationship between oxytalan fibers in the periodontal ligament of the guinea pig

“…Oxytalan fibers have also been reported in dental granulomas, radicular cysts (Fullmer 1960) and periodontal membrane involved in scleroderma (Fullmer & Witte 1962). Sims (1977) described the presence of increased amounts of oxytalan staining fibers in the periodontal ligament of lathyritic mice. This fiber-like material increased in quantity as the degree of of lathyrism increased.…”

The effect of beta‐aminoproprionitrile on the periodontal ligament

“…The classic histologic lesion which develops in the periodontal ligament within one to two weeks after the onset of B-APN administration is called the "lathyritic body." It is characterized by an aggregation or palisading of the PDL fibroblasts in rows bordering an acellular amorphous matrix (Sciaky & Ungar 1961, Barrington & Meyer 1966, Krikos, Beltram & Cohen 1965, Yoshikawa 1971, Sims 1977, Baden & Bouissou 1983, Krikos et al 1958, Gardener et al 1958. To our knowledge there have been no ultrastructural studies of the "lathyric body" and the associated fibroblasts.…”

Oxytalan fibre response to tooth intrusion and extrusion in normal and lathyritic mice

“…Oxytalan fibre response to experimental intrusion and extrusion in norinal mice was statistically analysed. These experiments were duplicated in lathyritic animals where the tensile strength of collagen is reduced (Berkowitz, Migdalski & Solomon 1972) resulting in increased tooth mobility although the oxytalan fibre systetn remains intact (Sims 1976b). The intrusion and extrusion effects in lathyritic tnice were also examined using an analysis of variance.…”