“…Although collagen solubility (ratio; soluble/total collagen) was not altered in the AgAh induced gingival lesion, it did contain iess collagen , primarily less insoluble collagen, relative to tissue weight (expressed on a wet weight or dry weight basis). This is consistent with earlier studies demonstrating (1) a reduced hydroxyproline content of inflamed gingiva (Shultz-Haudt & Aas 1960, Flieder, Sun & Schneider 1966, Page 1972, and (11) the disorganization and disintegration of collagen bundles in the area of the inflammatory cell infiltrate, based on histologic observation (Melcher 1967, Sehroeder 1968, Valdrighi 1974. The most iikeiy mechanisms responsible for collagen loss during gingivai inflammation, as reviewed by Page & Schroeder (1973) are: (1) An increased release of specific coliagenases by various cell types in Ihe gingiva known to produce this enzyme, including epithelial cells, fibroblasts, macrophages and neutrophils , Werb & Burliegh 1974, Lazarus et al 1968, Wahl et al 1975, Fig.…”