Bozal Carola B, Sánchez Luciana M, Ubios Angela M
Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Dentistry, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Acta Odontol Latinoam. 2012;25(1):123-31.
The osteocyte lacuno-canalicular system (OLCS) is a large network intercommunicating the lacunae and canaliculi which contain the osteocytes and their cytoplasmic processes within the mineralized bone matrix. The vitality and functioning of the osteocytes and cytoplasmic processes depend upon this intercommunication. To date, the 3-dimensional features of OLCS in the alveolar bone have not been studied; therefore the aim of this study was to use confocal scanning microscopy to do so. Samples of alveolar bone from male Wistar rats were fixed in buffer formalin and stained with basic fuchsin to visualize the lacuno-canalicular system. In decalcified samples of the same bone, the actin was labeled using fluorescent phallotoxin to visualize the osteocyte network. The samples were observed at the level of the mesial root of the first upper molar in bucco-palatal direction using a confocal laser scanning microscope. The results showed that in the area near the inner aspect (bundle bone) of the buccal plate, the osteocyte lacunae are oval-shaped and relatively uniform in size, aligned parallel to each other and with their major axes parallel to the periodontal bone surface, and the osteocytes are oval-shaped, with their main axes perpendicular to the periodontal bone surface, and the cytoplasmic processes irradiate in all directions. In the area near the inner aspect (bundle bone) of the palatal plate, the osteocyte lacunae are rounded, have different sizes and their orientation does not follow any specific pattern, and the osteocyte bodies have major axes parallel to the periodontal surface, a larger number of cytoplasmic processes, and run in a straighter direction than in the buccal plate. These results will contribute to the understanding of the changes that may occur in OLCS microarchitecture as a result of a pathological process, surgical technique or force applied to the alveolar bone.
骨细胞陷窝-小管系统（OLCS）是一个庞大的网络，它使矿化骨基质内包含骨细胞及其细胞质突起的陷窝和小管相互连通。骨细胞及其细胞质突起的活力和功能依赖于这种相互连通。迄今为止，尚未对牙槽骨中OLCS的三维特征进行研究；因此，本研究的目的是使用共聚焦扫描显微镜进行此项研究。将雄性Wistar大鼠的牙槽骨样本固定在缓冲福尔马林中，并用碱性品红染色以观察陷窝-小管系统。在同一骨的脱钙样本中，使用荧光鬼笔环肽标记肌动蛋白以观察骨细胞网络。使用共聚焦激光扫描显微镜在第一上磨牙近中根水平沿颊-腭方向观察样本。结果显示，在颊板内侧（束状骨）附近区域，骨细胞陷窝呈椭圆形，大小相对均匀，彼此平行排列，其长轴与牙周骨表面平行，骨细胞呈椭圆形，其长轴垂直于牙周骨表面，细胞质突起向各个方向辐射。在腭板内侧（束状骨）附近区域，骨细胞陷窝呈圆形，大小各异，其方向无特定模式，骨细胞体的长轴与牙周表面平行，细胞质突起数量较多，且比颊板中的突起走行更直。这些结果将有助于理解由于病理过程、手术技术或施加于牙槽骨的力而可能在OLCS微结构中发生的变化。
