Autoradiographic investigation of circadian rhythms in alveolar bone periosteum and cementum in young mice.

This report presents circadian rhythms in cell proliferation of alveolar bone periosteum and cementum of the maxillary first molars of male 5-week-old BNL, Swiss albino mice which were maintained on a 12 hr light/dark cycle. Mice were injected with 3H-TDR (luCi/gm. body wt.) 1 hr prior to sacrifice and killed every 3 hrs for 24 hrs starting at 9 a.m. Maxillae were decalcified, routinely processed histologically and autoradiographs prepared. Cell labeling indices of alveolar bone and cementum mesial to the first molar were determined. Alveolar bone periosteal and cemental cells show circadian rhythm in their DNA synthetic processes. Peaks in percent labeling exhibit higher values than previously reported for nontraumatized, normal dental periosteum and cementum. While the outer periosteum reveals a single 24 hr peak (6 p.m.), inner periosteum and cementum reveal two ultradian peaks 9 to 12 hrs apart involving both light and dark periods. Rodents are nocturnal, but high peaks are also evident in the light periods, consequently, not all peaks are synonymous with the period of animal activity and feeding. Although the single daylight peak of the outer periosteum may indicate growth of that surface at night to about noon, the double peaks exhibited by inner periosteum and cementum indicate light/dark, continuously active surfaces in terms of DNA synthesis and growth.