Figure 6.

SEM micrographs of resorption lacunae generated by OCs under (A, B) untreated, (C) DHT1‐ and (D) ODN‐treated conditions. In untreated cultures observed at low magnification (A, B; scale bar 100 μm), both pits and trenches are visible; however, after treatment with DHT1 and ODN, only pits are visible. The inserts in A–D images are high magnification images of single resorption cavities indicated by the arrow (scale bar 20 μm trenches and 5 μm for pits). (E–F) Highly magnified micrographs of resorption cavities (at sites marked by ^*in inserts of A–D) clearly display the differences in accumulated collagen fibrils in pits and trenches under control and inhibitor‐treated conditions (scale bar 500 nm). (I–L) show the energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy spectra taken at the point of the resorption cavities indicated by an asterisk in the inserted micrographs (10 points per pit in each condition for 25 pits). (I) Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy analysis shows high amounts of P and Ca at the bottom of trenches and only a minor signal for carbon, which is reflected by the lack of exposed demineralized fibrils (E). J–L show pits under control and DHT1‐ and ODN‐treated conditions with lesser amounts of P and Ca and higher yields of carbon. This is also corroborated by the well‐exposed collagen fibrils shown in F–H. (M) Quantification of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, calcium and phosphorous in resorption cavities. ^*** P < 0.001, significantly different for elements in trenches under untreated conditions compared with pits in untreated, DHT1‐ and ODN‐treated conditions.