A histological study of the effect of growth hormone on odontogenesis in the Lewis dwarf rat

The effect of growth hormone (GH) on the dentition has been described in children with pituitary dwarfism where teeth fail to form; those that do form tend to be reduced in size and the eruption potential is diminished. The aim here was to examine the effect of GH on odontogenesis via molar development in Lewis (control), dwarf (Dw) and Dw GH-treated (Dw+GH) rats aged 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days. Dw+GH animals received a twice-daily dose (65 μg/kg) of GH which commenced at 2 days of age. Animals were killed, mandibles removed, processed to embedding in paraffin, sectioned and stained for histological examination of molar morphology during development. Variations in enamel mineralization and root development were observed. In 6-day-old animals, enamel mineralization was delayed in Dw and Dw+GH animals. Root initiation was evident at 6 days of age in controls but was not observed until 9 days of age in Dw and Dw+GH animals. At 12 days of age, maturation of enamel in Dw and Dw+GH animals remained delayed. By 15 days of age no variation in tooth development was evident. These data indicate that enamel mineralization is affected by the level of circulating GH in the rat. A specific deficiency of GH did not appear to delay bone resorption prior to tooth emergence.