Change of microtubular arrangement around centrioles in rat incisor odontoblasts during cell differentiation
Sasano, Y.; Kagayama, M.
Journal of Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology 7(3): 285-294
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0270-4145 PMID: 3429606 Document Number: 300783
Three stages during cell differentiation of rat incisor odontoblasts were classified, and change of microtubular arrangement around centrioles in the odontoblasts was examined with three-dimensional analyses using serial ultrathin sections. In the undifferentiated odontoblasts, microtubules were observed to radiate from the pericentriolar area, whereas, in the differentiating odontoblasts, some microtubules became poorly related to the centrioles. In the differentiated odontoblasts, arrangement of most microtubules appeared to have a poor relationship to the centrioles. Throughout the differentiation of the odontoblasts, one of the centriolar pair was ciliated, and Golgi apparatus was invariably observed near the centrioles. The present study suggests that a pericentriolar area, or a centrosome, could function as a microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) in the undifferentiated odontoblasts, but their function might be attenuated during cell differentiation.