Effects on the hard tissue of teeth in PCB poisoned rat

The toxic effect of polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) on the morphology of the cells of teeth was studied histologically. Mandibular incisors and molars of PCB poisoned rats were examined primarily for the morphological change of ameloblasts. The results obtained were as follows. PCB exerted a dose dependent change of ameloblasts in the secretory and transitional phase in which the appearance of large vacuoles and swollen mitochondria and the degeneration of Tomes' process were observed distinctively. Enamel hypoplasia and morphological change of odontoblasts and dentin tissue were not demonstrated clearly by the administration of PCB. Taken together, these results indicate that PCB exerted a toxic effect on ameloblasts but not on odontoblasts probably through the blood vessels.