Ultrastructural localisation of proteoglycans in the odontoblast-predentin region of rat incisor.

The localization of proteoglycans in the predentin of the rat incisor was investigated by ultrastructural histochemistry. Ruthenium red stained the cell coat of the odontoblasts as well as intracellular vesicles. There was also a staining of the extracellular matrix, but not of collagen fibers in the predentin. Treatment with the enzyme hyaluronidase prior to staining with ruthenium red abolished the staining of the vesicles and the extracellular matrix but not that of the cell coat. Bismuth nitrate and phosphotungstic acid gave similar staining of odontoblast vesicles and extracellular matrix. It is likely that the stained structures contain proteoglycans. The importance of these proteoglycans and their ultrastructural localization are discussed in relation to intracellular transport and the calcification process.