DENDRITIC CELLS IN THE ALVEOLAR GINGIVA AND ENAMEL EPITHELIUM; DESTRUCTION OF THE ENAMEL EPITHELIUM BY PHAGOCITIC CELLS

¹ Dental Research Laboratory, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

1. Sections of material taken from the mandible of an 11 month white male child at post mortem were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and with Bodian's activated protargol stain.

2. Sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin revealed nothing unusual. Those stained with the silver stain revealed the presence of dendritic cells throughout the gingival epithelium and in the enamel organ of the erupting teeth. The cells observed in this tissue differed from those described in the literature chiefly in the fact that they were located principally in the outer epithelial cells, while those reported in the literature occurred in the Malpighian layer. The cells described in this report gave a dopa-positive reaction, and seemed to take a lighter stain than similar cells observed in normal tissue obtained in biopsies from light-skinned Caucasians and dark-skinned Negroes.

3. In some of the sections stained with Bodian's activated protargol the enamel organ contained large phagocytic cells in the act of engulfing epithelial cells, and producing large hyalinized areas.

4. There may be some connection between the presence of dendritic cells and blood dyscrasias or other diseases. The presence of dendritic cells may offer an explanation for malignant melanoma.

5. Bodian's activated protargol stain might reveal other interesting phenomena, if employed in the study of dental tissues.