Oxytalan fibers are orthogonal to an axis of human periodontal cells

Objectives: The oxytalan fibers in the periodontal ligament are arranged in vertically oriented and contribute to function maintenance of the periodontium. Recently, we demonstrated that, under stretching conditions, bundles of oxytalan fibers coalesce and become thick using immunofluorescence. However, a precise relation between oxytalan fibers and the major axis of the cells is unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we examind the relations between them.Methods: We cultured a human periodontal ligament fibroblasts and applied stretching stimulation to the cells (control group: strength 0% , experimental group: strength 5%) and performed immunofluorescence of the oxytalan fibers and cytoskeleton actin. Using image analysis software, we analyzed the average angle with the oxytalan fibers and a cell major axis.Results: and Conclusions: As for the experimental group, oxytalan fibers tend to be nearly rectanglular with the major axis of cells. It was consistent with that measured by the angle analysis. These results suggest that this angle may reflect the in vivo extracellar conditions about the relations between the cells and the oxytalan fibers.