Light-Microscopic Research of the Satellite Cells in the Trigeminal Ganglia in People with Abrasion of the Occlusal Surface of the Teeth

Human trigeminal ganglia have been used as material for the present morphological study. After removing the whole brain, ganglia were then placed in a solution of 4% neutral formalin and after 5 days fixation the procedure continued with dehydration of the tissue pieces in an ascending series of alcohols, followed by clearing in cedar oil. The samples were embedded in paraffin and then serial cross-sections of 20 μm each were cut. After they were mounted on slides some of the serial cross-sections were stained by the Nissl method. At we make research is clearly visible on histological samples that perikarya of pseudounipolar neurons are tightly wrapped by small satellite cells with intimately connected neurolemmas. Satellite cells were named by Cajal (1899) and described as cells with flat shapes. Materials & Methods: Materials of trigeminal ganglia were prepared by a standard protocol for the Medical University of Sofia for light-microscopic. Results: In our study, we found that the abrasion of teeth affects temporomandibular joint and changes occur in the peripheral nervous system. The changes affect satellite cells located around medium and small neurons of the trigeminal ganglia. They are expressed in the reduction of satellite cells and change their structural features. Conclusions: Up to now no research has been conducted affecting the teeth damage, joints and cytological changes occurring in TG. This is the beginning of a new research.