Cyclophosphamide-induced changes in rodent odontogenesis were investigated by light and electron microscopy in four-day-old Sprague Dawley rats given one injection of 40 mg/kg of body weight of cyclophosphamide and killed at intervals of one hour, one day, one week and two weeks. Incisor and molar teeth were dissected from the animals, fixed in 2.0 glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate with 3.4 sucrose, and subsequently some were incubated for alkaline phosphatase reaction, and embedded in Spurr's medium for sectioning at light- and electron-microscopic levels. From three days a cell-sparse zone was created in the pulp in the growing end of the tooth and progressive cellular changes were observed which became more severe in the one-week and two-week specimens. Subodontoblast and adjacent pulpal cells were the most affected showing nuclear changes, damage to, or loss of, organelles, and inclusion bodies. Odontogenic epithelium was less affected and odontoblasts appeared to be unaffected by the drug. A new irregular matrix was laid down in the defect area and seemed to be the product of depolarized odontoblasts. This new matrix showed alkaline phosphatase activity, as did the cells embedded in it, and later it became mineralized. It is speculated that the polarity of odontoblasts might be maintained by an intact subodontoblastic layer; when this is lost the odontoblasts become depolarized and capable of secreting matrix from both ends.
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