Neural parvalbumin and calretinin in the tooth pulp.

Parvalbumin- and calretinin-immunoreactivities (CR-irs) were examined in the molar tooth pulp of the rat using immunohistochemical methods. CR-ir fibers were further classified based on the tachykinin-ir revealed by a double immunofluorescence method. The rat root pulp contained three types of nerve fibers; parvalbumin-ir smooth fibers, CR-ir (TK-negative) smooth fibers and CR-ir (TK-ir) varicose fibers. These fibers projected toward the roof of the pulp chamber and pulp horn without marked ramification. In the subodontoblastic layer at the roof of the pulp chamber and pulp horn, parvalbumin-ir smooth fibers repeatedly ramified and extended varicose terminals into the odontoblastic layer. CR-ir (TK-negative) smooth fibers reached the subodontoblastic layer without marked ramification and gave rise to varicose terminals that appeared to terminate within the subodontoblastic layer. On the other hand, CR-ir (TK-ir) varicose fibers proceeded to the subodontoblastic layer at the roof of the pulp chamber and pulp horn, where they ramified and penetrated the odontoblastic layer. The present study indicates that the rat tooth pulp contains myelinated parvalbumin-ir and CR-ir (TK-negative) fibers, and unmyelinated CR-ir (TK-ir) fibers, and that they project varicose terminals to the subodontoblastic and odontoblastic layers. The central projection sites of these sensory fibers have yet to be revealed.