Microfilaments in human cementoblasts and periodontal fibroblasts.

An electron microscopic survey was carried out on the human periodontal ligament (PDL), including a part of the gingival connective tissue attached to extracted tooth roots (11 functioning premolars and 6 nonfunctioning third molars) in order to examine the characteristics of microfilaments (6 nm) in cementoblasts and PDL fibroblasts. Microfilaments which were grouped in bundles with semiperiodic dense nodes or in meshworks just beneath the cell membrane were seen predominantly in the cells characterized by their ultrastructurally immature appearance. These microfilaments were more commonly observed in third molar PDL than in premolar PDL and, in general, more conspicuous in cementoblasts than in fibroblasts. The significance of microfilaments in human PDL is discussed, particularly in relation to cell differentiation and morphogenesis.