Dynamic Aspects of Dental Pulp, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1990 Molecular biology, pharmacology and pathophysiology

This book presents a circumspective overview and update of the present existing knowledge of the biology, chemistry and pathophysiology of the dental pulp. It details numerous observations of a group of highly specialized investigators who have united in the common purpose of presenting their observations for the benefit of clinicians, teachers, researchers and students. Fortunately, the dental literature presents abundant research findings about pulp biology and the pulp's responses to various stimuli. This abundance has resulted in an increased interest and expansion of research on this subject. For example, publications abound on the response of pulp tissue to various medications and to a variety of types of dental materials which may be placed near to or at some distance from the pulp through the medium of dentine. One of the reasons the pulp is of such interest is that it not only provides the vitality to the teeth but also produces the dentine - both the primary and secondary, as well as reparative. The latter-type dentine is a result of the pulp's functions in response to disease as the former dentine is in response to health. As an example, some investigators have reported the effects of cutting of dentine and the placement of restorations in dentine which in turn reflect changes on the pulp tissue. These reports have raised a number of questions, which in turn have created a need for answers.

One Cells and Development.- 1 Innervation of teeth: developmental aspects.- 2 Odontoblasts: developmental aspects.- 3 Dental pulp fibroblasts in culture.- 4 Concluding remarks.- Two Anatomical Aspects of the Pulp — Odontoblast and Vascular Architecture.- 5 Role of the odontoblast process.- 6 Change of vascular architecture of dental pulp with growth.- 7 Concluding remarks.- Three Physiological Aspects of the Pulp — Microcirculatory and Sensory Functions.- 8 Intradental sensory units.- 9 Microcirculation: function and regulation in microvasculature.- 10 Haemodynamic regulation of the dental pulp.- 11 Interstitial fluid pressure and transmicrovascular fluid flow.- 12 Concluding remarks.- Four Biochemical Aspects of the Pulp — Enzymes and Matrix.- 13 Enzymes of the glycolytic pathway-phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase.- 14 Collagenase synthesis by odontoblast-like cells (RP cells) preparation of monoclonal antibodies against RP cell collagenase and characterization of the enzyme.- 15 Dental pulp matrix — collagens and glycoproteins.- 16 Glycosaminoglycans in dental pulp.- 17 Concluding remarks.- Five Neuroregulators — Classic Neurotransmitters.- 18 The adrenergic system and dental pulp.- 19 The cholinergic system and the dental pulp.- 20 Concluding remarks.- Six Neuroregulators — Neuropeptides.- 21 Distribution of peptidergic nerves.- 22 Functions of peptidergic nerves.- 23 Concluding remarks.- Seven Bioactive Substances.- 24 Neurotrophic substances.- 25 Bradykinin and enkephalins.- 26 Prostaglandins and leukotrienes in dental pulp: their possible roles in pulp pathophysiology.- 27 Concluding remarks.- Eight Pathological Aspects of the Pulp and Medication.- 28 Reactions of dental sensory innervation to injury and inflammation.- 29 Proteases in inflammation.- 30 Arachidonic acid metabolism and antiseptics.- 31 Concluding Remarks.