[Immunohistochemical study of the expression of HGF in rat's reparative dentinogenesis].

To investigate the role of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in rat's reparative dentinogenesis. Reparative dentinogenesis was induced by preparing cavity on the first molar of SD rat. The teeth were collected on the 3rd, 15th, 30th day after the preparation of cavity, respectively. The healthy pulp was used as control. The expression of HGF in different stages of reparative dentinogenesis was detected by immunohistochemical method. The levels of HGF expression were quantitated by measurement of integral optical density (IOD). On the 3th day after cavity preparation, strong expression of HGF in the odontoblast layers and the cytoplasts of dental pulp cells was noted; the IOD value was 8.995+/-0.943. On the 15th day, positive expression of HGF was observed, the IOD value (5.624+/-0.951) was lower than that on the 3th day (P< 0.01). On the 30th day, the HGF expression (IOD 4.073+/-0.127) was found to be weak and similar to the control (IOD 4.279+/-0.348) (P>0.05). HGF may play an important role in the early stages of dental pulp repair.