Histological Features Of Dental Pulp
Histology of pulp
Answer:
- The pulp consists of
1. Intercellular substances:
- It is dense and gel-like in nature
- It is composed principally of glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins, and water
- With age its composition changes
Functions:
- It supports the cells
- Acts as a medium for the transport of nutrients from the vasculature to the cells and of metabolites from the cells to the vasculature
2. Fibroblasts:
- It is the most abundant cell of the pulp
- Numerous in the coronal part of the pulp
- They are typically stellate-shaped cell
- Adjacent cells are joined by intercellular junctions
Functions:
- They form and maintain the pulp matrix
- They are capable of ingesting and degrading collagen when appropriately stimulated
- They play an important role in inflammation and healing
- They release inflammatory mediators, cytokines, and growth factors
3. Fibres
- The matrix of pulp consists of collagen fibers – type 1 and type 3
- A greater concentration of fibers is present in the most apical portion of the pulp
- Their presence may relate to environmental trauma
4. Undifferentiated mesenchymal cells
- Depending upon the stimulus, these cells may give rise to odontoblasts, fibroblasts, or macrophages
- Found throughout the cell-rich zone and pulp core
- They have abundant cytoplasm
- They appear as large, polyhedral cells possessing large, centrally placed nucleus
5. Odontoblasts
- They line the periphery of the pulp
- The odontoblastic processes extend into dentinal tubules
- Their number corresponds to the number of the dentinal tubules
- In the crown, they appear columnar, more cuboidal in the mid portion and flattened in the apical portion.
Functions:
- Synthesize and secrete collagen of dentin and also ground substance
6. Defence cells
- Histiocytes or macrophage
- Mast cells
- Plasma cells
7. Other cells
- Eosinophil and lymphocytes
- Dendritic cells
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