Distribution of keratin polypeptides in adult, juvenile and rapidly progressive periodontitis.

Inflammation of human gingival tissues including the periodontal structures occurs in response to infection in crevicular sulcus caused by microorganisms which first attach to the surface of oral squamous epithelium, penetrate into inner gingival epithelium and finally through the basement membrane of the underlying connective tissue (Murase et al., 1985). Other authors have long held the view that periodontitis is not a homogeneous disease entity but rather a group of family related diseases manifesting similar features and different etiologic factors. Immunological mechanism have long been implicated in pathogenesis of chronic periodontitis. Defect of host mechanism may have a relationship in development of rapidly progressive periodontitis (RPP) (Page et al., 1983).