THE PLASMA-CELL AT THE ADVANCING FRONT OF THE LESION IN CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS

This study analyses the infrastructure of the plasma cell population of periodontitis‐affected soft tissue close to the advancing front of interdental lesions. Biopsies from 20 patients and 3 control volunteers were examined: 5 with treated adult periodontitis (AP), 5 with untreated AP, 5 with treated juvenile or postjuvenile periodontitis (JP) and 5 with untreated JP. Plasma cell (PC) counts increased significantly (p < 0.05) with lesion severity. They were absent from epithelium and sparse in the clinically healthy control specimens. Degenerate PC tended to be more numerous within JP tissue but differences were not significant (p > 0.05) when compared to AP. Intact plasma cells were never seen within JP superficial connective tissue. Russell bodies were small and few in number. The presence of degenerated plasma cells indicated normal formation and release of immunoglobulins within the tissues of AP and JP. Increased counts of degenerate PC and tissue destruction in JP suggested a correlation, possibly attributable to anti‐collagen antibody secretion. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved