Surface and lamina propria lipids of bovine gingiva.

In terms of both quality and quantity, the surface lipids are noticeably different from the lamina propria lipids. The surface lipids are mainly structural in nature (cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and phospholipids), whereas the lamina propria lipids are mostly of storage types (triglycerides). The surface lipids are also more unsaturated, whereas the lamina propria lipids are more saturated. Even though gingiva is histologically similar to skin, bovine gingival surface lipids are different from the bovine skin surface lipids. Further studies are needed to investigate the importance of surface lipids in regulating the various physiologic functions of gingiva.