Microtubules, intermediate filaments, and actin filaments in the odontoblast of rat incisor

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Abstract
Actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules in the odontoblasts of rat incisors were investigated electron microscopically using heavy meromyosin and taxol. Actin filaments were abundant at the periphery of the odontoblast process in the form of a network or in bundles. In a branch of the odontoblast process, longitudinally oriented actin filament bundles were found. Most actin filaments were associated with the plasma membrane via electron‐dense material which stained with tannic acid. The intermediate filaments had a diameter of 11 to 13 nm. They were distributed throughout the cytoplasm of odontoblasts. They ran lengthwise in the core of the odontoblast process, which showed a different distribution compared with that of actin filaments. Microtubules, which were disrupted after Triton X‐100 but preserved by addition of taxol, tended to be associated with intermediate filaments. Such a relation was also seen in conventional preparations. Coated vesicles, which were abundant at the periphery of the odontoblast process, were often associated with actin filaments. Therefore, it is suggested that actin filaments, in the odontoblast process at least, play a role associated with the coated vesicles at the periphery of the process, and may be involved in coated vesicle transport.

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