SYNOPSIS
The aim of this study was to examine calbindin D-28k immunoreactivity in odonto-blasts to know whether the expression of this protein is affected by cavity prepara-tion. The cavity was prepared in human third molar under the local anesthesia and then filled with temporally material. After that, the cavity teeth were extracted within 1 week. Extracted teeth without cavity preparation were used as a control. After fixation with Zamboni fixative, the teeth were demineralized in 4.13% EDTA solution, frozen-sectioned, and processed for calbindin immunoreactivity and hematoxylin-eosin stain. The distribution of calbindin D-28k immunoreactivity in odontoblasts was observed under the light microscopy. In the teeth without cavity, almost all of odontoblasts showed the immunoreactivity. However, odontoblasts underneath the cavity were immunonegative for calbindin D-28k in the cavity-prepared teeth. These findings may suggest that the expression of calbindin D-28k in odontoblasts was suppressed by inflammation following cavity preparation.

Key words:odontoblasts, cavity preparation, calbindin D-28k, human, immuno-histochemistry