Organ culture study of effect of vitamin-A-deficiency on rat third molar development.

A culture procedure for rat third molars suitable for nutritional-developmental studies is described. Unerupted third molars from 12-day-old rats were cultured in BGJb media containing 20 per cent rat serum and supplemented with 25 mM HEPES buffer, 25 mg ascorbic acid, 20 mg L-glutamine, 12 mg penicillin G and 10 mg streptomycin sulphate per 100 ml of media. Molars were cultured at the liquid-gas interphase using a 50 per cent O2, 45 per cent N2, 5 per cent CO2 gas mixture at 10 lb-psig (pounds per square inch guage). Molar cultures were maintained successfully for 9-14 days without evidence of necrosis, although they developed at a slower rate than in vivo. Molars cultured in 50 per cent O2 compared to those cultured in 21 per cent O2 for periods of 2, 4, 6 and 8 days had higher values for protein, alkaline phosphatase (AP), Ca, P and Ca/P. Vitamin-A-deficiency gave lower values for AP, Ca, P, Ca/P, 45Ca, 35S and [14C]-proline uptake. Histologically, A - molars had atrophic ameloblasts, some foci of squamous metaplasia and abnormal keratin formation. Thus, deficiency of vitamin A imposed during in-vitro development of rat third molars retarded dentinogenesis and interfered with early mineralization of enamel and dentine.