[Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells in human dental pulp].

The bodies of Weibel-Palade (BWP) were first described in 1964 in the endothelial cells of human and rat pulmonary arteries. They are probably present in the blood vessels of all human and animal tissues. Their high concentration in blood capillaries of human dental pulp makes this tissue is a good model for their study. 107 transverse pulpal sections of BWP were selected from 15 pulps. The distribution of the tubules in the matrix from regular patterns. A simple linear regression study showed that the transverse diameter of BWP is proportional to the number of contained tubules. The functions of the Von Willebrand factor or antigenic portion of factor VIII being stored in BWP of endothelial cells of other tissues is discussed.