Journal of Dental Research, Vol 64, 28-32, Copyright © 1985 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Changes in collagen types during the healing of rabbit tooth extraction wounds
K. Kurita, Y. Hashimoto, T. Takei, T. Kawai and T. Hayakawa
Three alpha chains of type V collagen--alpha 1 (V), alpha 2 (V), and alpha
3 (V)--were initially demonstrated together with the expected collagen
types I and III in the pepsin-soluble fraction of both normal mandibular
bone and tooth extraction wound tissues of rabbits, as analyzed by sodium
dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis. The total collagen content of each
extraction wound, as determined by the hydroxyproline assay, was observed
to increase continuously from day 5 through day 17 and then leveled off or
decreased. The ratio of type V to type I collagen was significantly higher
in the initial stage of wound healing and decreased sharply down to the
level of mandibular bone by day 5. The ratio of type III to type I collagen
in the pepsin-soluble fraction increased and reached a maximum on day 5,
whereas it was maximal on day 7 in the cyanogen bromide-soluble fraction,
and thereafter decreased gradually in both fractions. The ratio for the
pepsin-soluble fraction was, however, significantly higher than that for
the cyanogen bromide-soluble fraction in the early stage of wound healing.
