The effects of colchicine on the ultrastructure of the dental epithelium and odontoblasts of teleost tooth buds.

Secretory granule ultrastructure of teleost inner dental epithelial (IDE) cells has been reported to be similar to procollagen granules of other cells synthesizing collagen. This study describes the ultrastructure of secretory products in odontogenic cells during enameloid matrix formation in cichlids after inhibition of granule secretion with colchicine. Thirty-six fish were injected with 0.1 mg colchicine, then three were killed first at 2-hr intervals for 12 hr, then daily for 5 days. Tooth buds were processed for transmission electron microscopy, and ultrastructural alterations were assessed for each post-injection interval. Four hours post-injection, IDE cells contained increased numbers of secretory granules, lightly stained granules, dilated cisternae of the granular endoplasmic reticulum, and intercellular amorphous material. After 6 hr, the IDE intercellular amorphous material additionally contained electron dense deposits, and after 8 hr, the intercellular material had fibers similar in appearance to enameloid collagen. No ultrastructural changes were detected in odontoblasts that were in close proximity to the enameloid matrix. Only odontoblasts synthesizing predentin were affected by colchicine, and the observed alterations were similar to those seen in IDE cells. It is concluded that IDE cells synthesize and secrete ectodermal enameloid matrix collagen.