Initial attachment of principal fibers to the root dentin surface in rat molars.

The initial attachment of principal fibers to the root dentin surface was investigated in developing rat molars by light and electron microscopy. Ruthenium red was used to intensely stain the first deposited material on the root dentin surface. Observations suggested that when the principal fibers became embedded in the ruthenium red-positive material, there was no complicated interweaving between the principal fibers and the root dentinal matrix fibers. Therefore, it is likely that the initial principal fiber attachment to the root dentinal matrix fibers is mediated by the ruthenium red-positive material.