Chronically inflamed human gingiva was studied by electron microscopy, with particular emphasis on alterations in the tissues adjacent to the gingival sulcus. In spite of dilated intercellular spaces in the crevicular epithelium recognizable bacteria remained confined to the most superficial layers of the epithelium. Such spaces did, however, contain a variety of emigrating cell types, cellular debris, lysosomes and a granular precipitate. Lysosomes were also detected in the connective tissues and were released from disrupting neutrophils. Morphological variants of the plasma cell series formed the majority of the inflammatory cell population. The synthesis and extracellular release of proteins (immunoglobulins) was suggested in light of their morphological appearance.

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