Dental Pulp Defence and Repair Mechanisms in Dental Caries

Figure 1

Two key aspects of the odontoblast defence against dentin-invading bacteria. Bacteria (B) present in the carious dentinal lesion release pathogenic components that activate (blue arrow) odontoblasts (dark blue) adjacent to the lesion, triggering the production of antibacterial molecules (blue dots). These molecules diffuse through dentin tubules in an attempt to destroy the invading microorganisms (NO, BDs) or considerably decrease their pathogenicity (LBP). In parallel, proinflammatory and immunomodulatory mediators (green dots), including IL-6, IL-10, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL8 (IL-8), CXCL10, and CCL2, are secreted by odontoblasts at the opposite cell pole and diffuse into the subodontoblast pulp area (green arrow) where they activate and mobilize various populations of immune cells (as described in the main text body) enabling the immunosurveillance of the tissue. Immune cells then migrate (dotted grey arrow) towards the pulp-dentin interface beneath the lesion to combat the bacteria and coordinate the immune defense response.