FIGURE 8.

Double fluorochrome labeling. The specimens were from the dentin of 5-week-old WT (A), Dspp-KO (B), Dspp-KO/normal-Tg mice (C), and Dspp-KO/D452A-Tg mice (D). In these analyses, the first injection (calcein) produced a green label, while the second injection (Alizarin Red) made a red label. The distance between the green zone and the red zone reflected the width of the dentin matrix that was mineralized in 7 days. Compared with the normal dentin in the WT and Dspp-KO/normal-Tg mice, the labeling zones in the Dspp-KO mice and Dspp-KO/D452A-Tg mice were diffused, indicating an irregular deposition of mineral. Bars = 10 μm. E, quantitative analyses (n = 3) showed that the dentin of the Dspp-KO mice and Dspp-KO/D452A-Tg mice had a remarkably lower mineral deposition rate compared with the WT and Dspp-KO/normal-Tg mice.