Histological study of mast cells in human

ABSTRACT

A total number of 75 gingival biopsies were examined by haematoxylin and eosin and toluidine blue. The specimens were obtained from 15 subjects with normal gingiva. Twenty subjects for each of the three groups representing gingivitis, moderate periodontitis and advanced periodontitis. The quantitative relationship between mast cells, inflammatory cells and gingival health was made. Mast cells assumed a variety of shapes and most of them were present in the reticular layer in a peculiar perivascular distribution. Mast cells and inflammatory cells increased in number in gingival inflammation. They were present without numerical change in the neighborhood of the plasma cells and their number was reduced in the presence of lymphocytes