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The Junctional Epithelium: from Health to Disease

Department of Periodontology and Fixed Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Berne, Freiburgstrasse 7, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland;

View larger version (114K): [in a new window]   Figure 1. Light microscopic view of human gingiva (from a young, clinically healthy subject) illustrating its dimensions and relations. ABC, alveolar bone crest; AEFC, acellular extrinsic fiber cementum; CEJ, cemento-enamel junction; CT, gingival connective tissue; D, dentin; ES, enamel space; GM, gingival margin; JE, junctional epithelium; OGE, oral gingival epithelium; OSE, oral sulcular epithelium; PL, periodontal ligament. Courtesy of Dr. H.E. Schroeder.

View larger version (136K): [in a new window]   Figure 2. Back-scattered scanning electron micrograph showing the tapering off, in the apical direction, of the junctional epithelium (JE) in a porcine tooth with a clinically healthy gingiva. CEJ, cemento-enamel junction; CT, gingival connective tissue; D, dentin; ES, enamel space. Courtesy of Dr. A. Nanci.

View larger version (205K): [in a new window]   Figure 3. Transmission electron micrograph illustrating the epithelial cell morphology in the innermost portion of the junctional epithelium of a human tooth with a clinically healthy gingiva. ES, enamel space; N, nuclei of epithelial cells; PMN, polymorphonuclear leukocyte.

View larger version (150K): [in a new window]   Figure 4. Transmission electron micrograph showing a well-developed Golgi apparatus (G) and numerous mitochondria (M) in the cytoplasm of a junctional epithelial cell in a human tooth with a clinically healthy gingiva. N, nuclei.

View larger version (166K): [in a new window]   Figure 5. Transmission electron micrograph illustrating desmosomes (DES) and cytokeratin filaments (CK) in the junctional epithelium from a human tooth with a clinically healthy gingiva. N, nucleus of a junctional epithelial cell.

View larger version (167K): [in a new window]   Figure 6. Transmission electron micrograph showing polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) residing in the intercellular spaces of the junctional epithelium of a human tooth with a clinically healthy gingiva. ES, enamel space; N, nuclei of junctional epithelial cells.

View larger version (193K): [in a new window]   Figure 7. Transmission electron micrograph illustrating the basal lamina, consisting of the lamina lucida (LL) and the lamina densa (LD), and hemidesmosomes (HD) at the interface between the junctional epithelium and the tooth. The interposed matrix layer (*) may be a dental cuticle or a modified cementum matrix. The micrograph originates from a healthy but receded gingival site of a human tooth. AEFC, acellular extrinsic fiber cementum; CK, cytokeratin filaments.

View larger version (192K): [in a new window]   Figure 8. Transmission electron micrograph showing the attachment of the junctional epithelium to the root cementum (C) from a healthy site of the receded gingiva in a human tooth. The interposed matrix layer (*) is a modified cementum matrix. N, nuclei of junctional epithelial cells.

View larger version (189K): [in a new window]   Figure 9. Transmission electron micrograph illustrating junctional epithelial cells facing a dental cuticle-like material (DC) in a human tooth. The gingival biopsy originated from a healthy site. ES, enamel space.