Abstract: The desquamative gingivitis is the clinical term given to the gingival manifestation of mucocutaneous diseases. It is characterized by an erythematous, glazed, friable and hemorrhagic gingiva, which can be accompanied by pains. Except the gingiva, the lesions can be localised on other oral mucous membranes or on the skin. The three principal diseases at the origin of the desquamative gingivitis are by order of frequency: the cicatricial pemphigoïd, erosive lichen planus and pemphigus. The knowledge of the clinical, histological and immunohistochemical characteristics of these three affections is essential for the diagnosis and the suitable treatment of the desquamative gingivitis.
Abstract: The increased generation and up-regulated activity of bone resorbing cells (osteoclasts) play a part in the impairment of bone remodeling in many bone diseases. Numerous drugs (bisphosphonates, calcitonin, selective estrogen receptor modulators) have been proposed to inhibit this increased osteoclastic activity. In this report, we describe a pit resorption assay quantified by scanning electron microscopy coupled with image analysis. Total rabbit bone cells with large numbers of osteoclasts were cultured on dentin slices. The whole surface of the dentin slice was scanned and both the number of resorption pits and the total resorbed surface area were measured. Resorption pits appeared at 48 h and increased gradually up to 96 h. Despite the observation of a strong correlation between the total resorption area and the number of pits, we suggest that area measurement is the most relevant marker for osteoclastic activity. Osteotropic factors stimulating or inhibiting osteoclastic activity were used to test the variations in resorption activity as measured with our method. This reproducible and sensitive quantitative method is a valuable tool for screening for osteoclastic inhibitors and, more generally, for investigating bone modulators.
