Wy. Chen et al., Isolation of amelogenin-positive ameloblasts from rat mandibular incisor enamel organs by flow cytometry and fluorescence activated cell sorting, CONNECT TIS, 39(1-3), 1998, pp. 9
The purpose of this study was to use amelogenin as a marker to examine the
feasibility of isolating ameloblasts from enamel organ cell populations by
fluorescence activated cell sorting. After treating dissected rat enamel or
gans with proteolytic enzymes to loosen cell attachments and labial connect
ive tissues, dissociated cell suspensions were fixed, then immunostained wi
th rabbit anti-rM179 recombinant amelogenin antibody and FITC-conjugated go
at anti-rabbit Ig G antibody. Flow cytometry indicated that about 70% of th
e total cell sample and virtually all the larger cells therein were ameloge
nin-positive. Fluorescence activated cell sorting yielded a sample of amelo
genin-positive cells at 97% purity. Immunofluorescence microscopy indicated
that these isolated amelogenin-positive cells varied widely in size and mo
rphology, This was attributed to loss of intercellular support for amelobla
sts once they were dissociated from each other, and to some fragmentation c
aused when the cells were initially physically removed from the teeth. The
results demonstrate that viable ameloblast cell fractions, especially repre
senting cells at the secretory stage, can be purified from enzymic digests
of rat enamel organ by sorting on the basis of cell size alone. From these
fractions, subpopulations of ameloblasts may be identified when differentia
tion specific cell surface markers become available.