Neuroendocrine cells in the dental pulp in health and disease

Abstract

Neuroendocrine cells were identified in human dental pulp by immunohistochemical method using monoclonal antibodies. A population of neuroendocrine cells positively reacting to neuron-specific enolase, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and stained with paraldehyde-fuchsin, was detected in the subodontoblastic layer of the pulp. Changes in their count, morphology, and function in caries and pulpitis concomitant with periodontitis were proven.

From Mouth to Brain: Neuroendocrine Markers Play as a Crosstalk Among Oral and Neurodegenerative Diseases

“…Poor reactivity of NE cells into normal pulp to nerve crest markers can be explained by the declining expression of these antigens during cytodifferentiation. According to the described results, this ability is induced under pathological states (16).…”

“…In another study, the immunohistochemical analysis of human dental pulp with streptavidin-biotin labeling revealed the expression of NSE, CgA, S-100B, GFAP, and synaptophysin all common neural crest related markers. The ontogenesis of dental pulp from neural crest is commonly accepted, developing teeth (15) contain cells deriving from neural crest, responsible for dental pulp innervation, this cytotype secreted nerve growth factors, glial and cerebral neurotrophic factor, and control the development of dopaminergic fibers into the pulp during tooth growth (16).…”