Immunolocalization of transforming growth factor beta in rat molars.

A prominent cellular event in tooth eruption is the influx of mononuclear cells (monocytes?) into the dental follicle at the onset of eruption. In the mandibular first molar of the rat, this influx of cells reaches its peak at three days postnatally. Because transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is chemotactic for monocytes, we used immunocytochemical methods to determine its localization in the rat molar during postnatal days 1-4 and day 7. The results indicate that TGF-beta 1 displays both a spatial and temporal localization in the rat molar. It is present in the stellate reticulum (SR) on days 1 and 2 postnatally but is absent in all the subsequent days examined. None of the other soft tissue layers-ameloblasts, stratum intermedium or dental follicle--immunostain for TGF-beta 1. This localization of TGF-beta 1 in the SR at a time that just precedes that influx of monocytes into the dental follicle, coupled with the fact that fenestrated capillaries are abundant in the follicle adjacent to the SR, suggests that TGF-beta 1 could play a role in attracting monocytes from the peripheral blood into the follicle.