Takata T, Matsuura M, Murashima M, Miyauchi M, Nikai H
Department of Oral Pathology, Hiroshima University School of Dentistry, Japan.
J Periodontol. 1999 Feb;70(2):195-200. doi: 10.1902/jop.1999.70.2.195.
Our understanding of periodontal diseases has been facilitated greatly by the use of animal models. However, no animal model has been identified that truly reflects the disease seen in humans. Suncus murinus, a rat-sized laboratory house musk shrew, has received attention as a valuable animal model due to ease of handling. In the studies described here, periodontal conditions in Suncus murinus were evaluated to determine the usefulness of the shrew as an experimental model for understanding various aspects of periodontal diseases.
Periodontal tissues of 34 Suncus murinus (18 to 430 days old) were examined macroscopically, morphometrically, histologically, and ultrastructurally.
Dentition pattern is I3/1, C1/1, P2/1, M3/3. Spontaneous gingival swelling with accumulation of plaque was observed in more than two-thirds of animals older than 200 days. Morphometric analysis of alveolar bone demonstrated a pattern of bone loss that correlated closely with animal age. Histologically, periodontal lesions varying from gingivitis to periodontitis, similar to those observed in humans, were noted. Marked infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the connective tissue was noted, usually not seen in periodontal lesions of rodents. Although osteoclastic alveolar bone resorption was noted, active bone resorption was not a frequent feature in specimens obtained from chronic inflammatory lesions. Ultrastructurally, degradation of collagen fibers in the inflamed area and ingestion of collagen fibrils by fibroblasts in the deeper connective tissue were often seen.
These results indicate the potential utility of Suncus murinus as a model to study periodontal disease; e.g., chronic nature of the inflammatory periodontal lesions, similar to those in humans, as well as other advantages including size and ease of handling and housing of these animals.
动物模型的使用极大地促进了我们对牙周疾病的理解。然而，尚未发现能真正反映人类所见疾病的动物模型。臭鼩是一种大鼠大小的实验用家麝鼩，因其易于操作而作为一种有价值的动物模型受到关注。在本文所述的研究中，对臭鼩的牙周状况进行了评估，以确定该麝鼩作为理解牙周疾病各个方面的实验模型的实用性。
对34只臭鼩（年龄在18至430天之间）的牙周组织进行了宏观、形态计量、组织学和超微结构检查。
牙列模式为I3/1、C1/1、P2/1、M3/3。在超过三分之二的200日龄以上动物中观察到自发性牙龈肿胀并伴有菌斑积聚。牙槽骨的形态计量分析显示骨丢失模式与动物年龄密切相关。组织学上，观察到从牙龈炎到牙周炎的牙周病变，与人类观察到的病变相似。结缔组织中有明显的淋巴细胞和浆细胞浸润，这在啮齿动物的牙周病变中通常未见。尽管观察到破骨细胞性牙槽骨吸收，但在从慢性炎症病变获得的标本中，活跃的骨吸收并不常见。超微结构上，经常可见炎症区域胶原纤维的降解以及深层结缔组织中成纤维细胞对胶原纤维的摄取。
这些结果表明臭鼩作为研究牙周疾病模型的潜在实用性；例如，炎症性牙周病变的慢性性质与人类相似，以及其他优点，包括这些动物的大小、易于操作和饲养。
