Purpose: To investigate the effect of gradually induced occlusal disorders on the expression of FGFR1 in rat condylar cartilage.
Methods: A model of gradually induced occlusal disorders in rat was established.The expression of FGFR1 was detected by SABC immunocytochemistry and analyzed by density of positive cells in condylar cartilage. The data were analyzed using SPSS 11.0 software package.
Results: FGFR1-positive chondrocytes were abundant in the maturative layer and hypertrophic layer, but only few FGFR1-positive chondrocytes were found in the proliferative layer. In the control group, the expression of FGFR1 increased from 6-week-old to 10-week-old rats, and then decreased and went stable. In both young and adult group, the expression of FGFR1 in the experimental group was significantly lower at 4, 6 weeks and higher at 8 weeks than that in the control group, especially in the young group(P<0.05). But no difference was found between the experimental group and the control group at 2 weeks in both groups.
Conclusion: FGFR1 may play an important role in the remodling of condylar cartilage induced by occlusal disorders.