Oxytalan Fibers in the Periodontium of Ascorbic Acid-Deficient Guinea Pigs

¹ The University of Michigan, School of Dentistry, Department of Periodontics, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The periodontal membranes of Hartley strain guinea pigs were subjected to a range of ascorbic acid deficiencies for 30 days. Selective histochemical staining technics revealed a difference between the collagenous and oxytalan fibers. Quantitative differences between the normal and ascorbic acid-deficient oxytalan fiber component were evaluated by counting the number of oxytalan fibers in two areas of the incisor region. It was found that the collagenous fibers of the periodontal membrane decreased in number with the severity of the ascorbic acid deficiency and the oxytalan fibers remained unchanged in number and distribution.

The oxytalan fibers in the periodontal membrane of the guinea pig were not affected by ascorbic acid deficiency, indicating that these fibers are not collagen.