Scanning electron microscopic study of human gingival explants inoculated with Mycoplasma salivarium
Ramella, M.R.; de Crespo, J.D.; Turcot, L.; Somaglia, L.; Ubios, A.M.; Trica, A.M.; Fucci, M.
Acta Odontologica Latinoamericana Aol 2(1): 10-14
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0326-4815 PMID: 3870180 Document Number: 265055
M. salivarium is a microorganism associated with periodontal disease capable of producing cytopathogenicity in tissue cultures. This arginine dependent microorganism uses this substrate as a source of energy thus depriving the host cell of an essential amino acid and producing cellular alterations. It has been reported that strains of M. salivarium isolated at sites with peridontal disease possess lecithinase activity, a lipolytic capacity that alers the permeability of the membrane of the parasited epithelial cell. On the basis of these reports, 34 human gingival explants were developed as organ cultures; of these 17 were infected with a concentrated culture of a lipolytic strain of M. salivarium isolated from subgingival plaque and incubated for 5 days as were their respective control samples. SEM of the inoculated explants revealed adhesion of M. salivarium to the surface of the epithelial cells and structural alterations in the latter.