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Neutrophils in the molar tooth extraction wound in the rat: a transmission electron microscope (TEM) study
Author(s) -
McMillan M. D.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1999.tb02044.x
Subject(s) - phagocytosis , ultrastructure , wound healing , phagosome , pathology , bacteria , granulation tissue , neutrophile , epithelium , extracellular , microbiology and biotechnology , molar , neutrophil extracellular traps , biology , chemistry , medicine , inflammation , immunology , dentistry , genetics
Neutrophils have been ascribed a number of functions from ultrastructural studies of healing wounds. All of the wounds so far examined have been relatively aseptic. This study investigates, by TEM, the structure of neutrophils in healing molar tooth sockets in rats. Prior to epithelial coverage, a dense infiltrate of neutrophils separated the viable wound tissues from the overlying debris and bacteria. The more deeply situated neutrophils contained many granules and only occasional phagosomes. More superficial neutrophils contained fewer granules and phagosomes with engulfed bacteria undergoing lysis. The most superficial neutrophils were degenerate, lacked granules and often contained viable bacteria. There were varying numbers of neutrophils containing granules in the blood clot, granulation tissue, wound epithelium and adjacent tissue. No extracellular neutrophil granules nor extracellular discharge of granules was found. These findings differ from those of previous ultrastructural studies of relatively aseptic healing wounds. Ultrastructurally, the only function of neutrophils in healing tooth extraction wounds appears to be phagocytosis of bacteria, which supports a role in the prevention of infection.