Early Development of Mast Cell System in Lingual Tissues of Intrauterine and Newborn Rats

Mast cells (MC) are predominantly localized at the interface between host and environment such as skin and mucosal surfaces. They are able to perceive a variety of allergens and invading pathogens. In oral tissues, degranulation of mast cells has been a consistent feature of inflammatory lesion like liquen planus, gingivitis, periapical process and tumoral responsive. The aim of the present study is to describe the morphology and to establish the homing time in the tongue’s connective tissue of rats. Tongue sections were collected from Wistar rats processed and included in paraffin wax, cut and stained with toluide blue and alcian blue-safranin and immunoenzyme staining procedure with Monoclonal Antibody to mast cell Tryptase. The total number of mast cells was counted and the area was measured to estimate the population density (mm2) and the individual cell morphology. Results showed morphology changes and a series of variations between the first and the second week samples after birth (p0.001), but there were not changes between intrauterus and newborn period. Mast cells were detected from the fifteenth day of intrauterine life in closed relation with skeletal muscle cells. These data suggest a quick MT adaptation and a strategic location that allow them to react against different oral antigens. More studies are going to be necessary to elucidate this phenomenon.