[Culture and comparison of the biological characteristics of human junctional epithelium and gingival epithelium].

PURPOSE: To study the different biological characteristics of human junctional epithelium (JE) and gingival epithelium (GE). METHODS: Human JE cells were cultured and identified by the cell culture and immunohistochemistry, and the biological characteristics of JE cells and GE cells were compared. RESULTS: The morphology of cultured JE cells was various and unequal, the arrangement of the cells was loose and mitosis was common, while GE colony was consisted of equal and closely packed epithelial-like cells in a paving stone arrangement. CK-Pan staining was positive in all JE and GE cells. CK19 was strongly stained in all JE cells but only moderately stained in some GE cells, and most GE cells were negative which was obviously different from JE cells. JE cells had longer latent period (7 days) than GE cells (4 days) during the cell growth period, and then the cells proliferated rapidly (4 days) to attain the maximum and descended rapidly in the declining period. While GE cells ascended evenly (7 days) to attain the maximum and descended slowly in the declining period. Proliferation study demonstrated the doubling time of JE cells was 48 to 60 hours and that of GE cells was 72 to 96 hours. It was possible to subculture JE cells up to 5 times serially, and that of GE cells was up to 7 times. CONCLUSIONS: The human JE cells are a kind of unique non-differentiated epithelial cells different from GE cells. In this experimental culture condition the subculture times of JE cells were less than GE cells, which affects JE cells, so the culture methods and conditions should be improved.