Abstract:

Objective　In order to determine the effect of factors pertaining to the development and metabolism of periodontal ligament, the author investigated the interaction between osteoblasts and fibroblasts.Methods　The cell co-culture model was es- tablished by cell culture inserts. The expression difference of protein related to mineralization (ALP, TypeⅠcollagen ) between these two kinds of cells cultured individually and co-cultured were evaluated.Results　Co-culture changed the ALPase activity of the two kinds of cells greatly .The ALP expression of osteoblasts decreased, but the ALP expression of periodontal ligament fibro- blasts incresed. The Col-Ⅰexpression of these two kinds of cells did not change significantlywhen theywere co-cultured.Conclu- sion　Periodontal ligament fibroblast could restrain the osteogenesis function of osteoblast, while osteoblast could induce the dif- ferentiation of fibroblast when both of them existed in periodontal tissue.

Key words: periodontal ligament fibroblast, osteoblast, cell co-culture