Affiliation:
1. Departments of Periodontology and Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52240, USA
Abstract
Oxygen consumption rates were determined for bovine whole alveolar mucosa, alveolar mucosal connective tissue, and alveolar mucosal epithelium. The mean oxygen quotients were 0.88, 0.39, and 2.08, respectively. Because inclusion of connective tissue in epithelial slices was unavoidable, a histometric technique for estimating the connective tissue volume for correcting the raw QO2 of the epithelium was used. Of the fibers in alveolar mucosal connective tissue, 27.7% were collagenous and 72.3% were elastic. Those of attached gingiva were completely collagenous. The QO2 0.39 for alveolar mucosal connective tissue is lower than the previously reported QO2 0.69 for attached gingival connective tissue because of the additional oxygen required for hydroxylation of proline and lysine in collagen synthesis.