Demonstration of multiple esterases of the human dental pulp after electrophoresis in starch and acrylamide gels.

Esterase activity of the dental pulp has been iernonstrated by histochemical technics on tissue sections by Burstone (Calcification in Biological Systeins, 1960, p. 232) and by Yoshiki (Butt. Tokyo Dent. Coll., 3:14-28, 1962). Aside from the localization of cholinesterases in the human dental pulp by Avery and Rapp (Stain Technol., 33:31-7, 1958) and by Ten Cute and Shelton (Arch. Oral Biol., 11"4238,1966), little consideration has been given to the characterization of the type or to the number of csterases that may be present. Using acrylamide gel and electrophoretic technics as descrilied by Davis (AInn. N. .Y. Acadl Sci., 121:404 27, 1964), and staining the gels for esterase activity (B. FRtIEFDIAN, D. S. STR.ACllAN, and M. M. DEWEY, J. Histocheor. Cvtochein., 14 :560 6, 1966) and for cholinestertase actix itx (G. B. KoE tiiE and J. S. FRan,}.NWXV xDn, Ptro. Sot. Exp. Biol. (N.Y.), 70: 617-22, 1949), it is possible to demonstrate four different esterases frum homorgenates of human dental pull.). Mote than 100 human Ipermanent teeth were used in 25 different experiments. The teeth were opened and the pulps removed and weighed. Four to five pulps were homnogenized in 40 percent sucrose (0.01 ml./mg. of pull) tissue), and the equivalent of 15 mg. oftpull) tissue (0.15 ml. of homogenate) was used aS the sample for acryla-