Peripherin- and CGRP-immunoreactive nerve fibers in rat molars have different locations and developmental timing.

Unlabelled: Developing rat molars gain mature sensitivity to electric stimulation at 4-5 weeks after eruption, but the related mechanisms are incompletely understood. Preliminary studies showed weak co-localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity (IR) with peripherin (PER) or neurofilament protein (NF) in rat molar nerve fibers, while the latter two co-localized extensively.

Objective: Our goal was to compare timing and location of PER-IR and CGRP-IR innervation in rat first molars during tooth maturation.