Immunocytochemical demonstration of amelogenins and enamelins secreted by ameloblasts during the secretory and maturation stages.

Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against bovine amelogenins and enamelins which did not show any cross-reaction were raised, and ultrathin sections of rat incisors were examined by the protein A-gold and ABC methods. The immunoreactivity of amelogenins was found in dense granules in the intercellular spaces between preameloblasts, and later over the fine- and coarse-textured material. The immunoreactivity was present over the cell organelles associated with the secretory pathway, as well as pale and dark lysosomes of the presecretory and secretory ameloblasts. Here the enamel was immunolabeled in the intercrystal spaces. The immunoreactivity in multivesicular bodies was stronger in preameloblasts than in secretory ameloblasts. In the region of second ruffle-ended ameloblasts at the maturation stage, the immunolabeling was intense in the ruffled-border, but in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, the immunolabeling was much weaker than at the secretory stage. The immunolabeling for enamelins showed essentially the same intracellular topographical pattern as that for amelogenins by the secretory stage, but was weaker. The immunoreactivity was found mainly attached to the enamel crystals. Double immunostaining of amelogenins and enamelins revealed that both immunoreactivities were present over the same cell organelles associated with secretion and lysosomal systems. It is suggested that the presecretory and secretory ameloblasts are actively involved in the secretion, degradation and resorption of enamel proteins, and that multivesicular bodies and lysosomes in the cells take part in these processes. Ameloblasts are considered to be related to the synthesis of enamelins.