Scanning electron microscopic study of age related changes in the collagen fiber architecture of rat palatal mucosa

Abstract

We investigated age related changes in the arrangement of the collagen fibrillar network of palatal mucosa using female Sprague-Dawley rats between 3 and 90 weeks of age. A cell-maceration/scanning electron microscope method was employed to demonstrate the three-dimensional architecture of the collagen fibrils. Numerous microridges made up of interwoven collagen fibrils were observed on the connective tissue surface. Differences in the number and shape of the microridges by location were observed in rats of the same age. The microridges increased in number and extended towards the epidermis with age until 10 weeks. The collagen fibrillar network on the connective tissue surface became tighter with age until 32 weeks, but loosened at 90 weeks.