Preclinical Paediatrics · MU Sofia

12. Histomorphology of the dental pulp.

Covers the histomorphology of the dental pulp, beginning with its cell types such as fibroblasts, odontoblasts and macrophages, then the fibrillar proteins and ground substance of its matrix. It goes on to describe the peripheral pulp zones, including the zone of Weil and the plexus of Rashkow, followed by the central pulp, the nerve supply, and the microcirculation with its three sub-odontoblastic layers. Immunocompetent cells and the extracellular matrix close the note.

Inside: 1 section · 5 labelled pictures · 15 flashcards · 7 min

Topic 12 of 40 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Preclinical Paediatrics (Dental Medicine, Year 3). The free AceMed note covers it in 1 section, about 1,044 words (7 min of reading), with 15 flashcards.

In this note

  1. HISTOMORPHOLOGY OF DENTAL PULP

HISTOMORPHOLOGY OF DENTAL PULP

Principal cells in connective tissue and pulp are the fibroblasts. Other cellular components include blood derived defensive cells, such as macrophages

  • Odontoblasts involved in dentin construction, persist and continue to function throughout the life of the pulp. Supportive cells of pulp-dentinal complex
  • Main nutritional pathway for dentin metabolism
  • Odontoblast protect dentin through the formation of transparent dentin and pulp through the tertiary dentin

Fibrillar Proteins

  • Two types of fibrillar proteins: Collagen and Elastin. Collagen is the more abundant type and its main component of collagen fibres, which confer strength of the tissue
  • Elastin provides elasticity to the tissue
  • In pulp, elastic fibres are distributed only in the walls of the larger blood vessels. Triple tropocollagen unit forms the collagen
  • Type I and II Collagen represent the bulk of tissue collagen
  • Type I is predominant type- thick, striated fibrils
  • Type II appears as fine branched filaments similar to that of reticular fibres
  • There are thin cobweb like fibres of reticulin- immature collagen found mostly in embryos

Ground Substance

  • Responsible for viscoelasticity and filtration function of connective tissue
  • Mainly composed of:
  • Proteoglycans: consists of protein core and polysaccharide side chains called glycosaminoglycans
  • Adhesive glycoproteins such as fibronectin, which primarily function to mediate cell matrix interaction

Peripheral and Central Zone/Pulp

Dental Pulp is divided into peripheral and central zone/pulp based on the histomorphology of the coronary and root pulp.

Peripheral Pulp

Located at the periphery of the crown and root. It’s an odontogenic area and has 4 different zones within it:

  1. (1) Odontogenic Zone→ Contains the odontoblasts
  2. (2) Cell Free Zone→ located below the odontoblasts named the “Zone of Weil”
  3. (3) Cell Rich Zone→ adjacent to the zone of Weil. Has high cell density, mainly fibroblasts but also many undifferentiated cells that serve as a reserve for new differentiation
  4. (4) Rashcoff’s Parietal Nerve Plexus
  • Peripheral zone is the highest organized area of the pulp
  • Called odontogenic zone as odontoblasts and subodontoblasts producing dentin are located
  • Cell free zone is most likely an artifact in the preparation of histological preparations
  • Cell rich zone contains mainly fibroblasts, but also many undifferentiated cells that serve as a reserve for new differentiation

Central Pulp

  • Contains major vessels and nerves that arise from large nerve trunks which ascend to the more peripherally located plexuses
  • These structures are surrounded by a dense meshwork of fibroblasts and collagen fibres embedded in an ICM

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