Figure 3.

Immunohistochemical localization of nestin in sections of normal and carious mature permanent human teeth. A: Nestin staining is absent from the normal mature teeth. B: In carious teeth, bacterial infiltration of dentin is shown (asterisks) after a gram staining for tissues. C: In carious teeth, nestin reactivity is found in some odontoblastic processes approaching the dentin-enamel junction and near of the carious front (asterisks). D: In the carious front (asterisks), nestin immunostaining is absent, while the staining is strong in the odontoblastic processes near to the carious front. E: Nestin immunoreactivity is absent in the odontoblast bodies (asterisks) of the inflamed pulp. F: Nestin is observed in odontoblast bodies facing the carious irritation and cells in the proximity of the dilated blood vessels (asterisks). d, dentin; o, odontoblasts; p, pulp. Scale bar, 50 μm.