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The complement C3b/C4b receptor (CR1) is an integral protein, anchored in the plasma membrane through a hydrophobic domain of 25 amino acids, but is also found in the plasma in soluble form (sCR1). A recombinant, soluble form of CR1 has been demonstrated to reduce complement-dependent tissue injury in animal models of ischaemia/reperfusion. In view of the important pathophysiological relevance of sCR1, we have investigated the mechanisms governing CR1 release by using various mutated and chimaeric receptors transiently expressed in COS cells. Pulse-chase experiments revealed that (1) sCR1 is produced by a proteolytic process, (2) the cleavage site lies within the C-terminus of CR1 transmembrane domain, (3) the proteolytic process involves a fully glycosylated CR1 form and (4) this process takes place in late secretory vesicles or at the plasma membrane.

Considerable phenotypic heterogeneity has been reported in gingival fibroblasts. Similarly, cells from the periodontal ligament (PDL) can be isolated with different phenotypes. Although it has been suggested that cells from the gingiva do not contribute to the formation of hard tissue, it is theoretically possible that under appropriate stimuli, immature mesenchymal cells in gingiva could differentiate along an osteoblastic pathway. Differentiation of immature mesenchymal cells into osteoblasts following stimulation with osteoinductive factors has been demonstrated in muscle. We undertook experiments to establish whether cells with osteoblastic characteristics could be identified from human gingiva as well as from human periodontal ligament. Some cell populations from each of these tissues were found to have high basal alkaline phosphatase activity, to release osteocalcin in response to 1,25(OH)2 VitD3, and to form a mineralized matrix. Thus, cells can be isolated from the gingiva and PDL that exhibit phenotypic markers, which taken together are characteristic of osteoblastic cells. Other cell populations derived from the PDL and gingival connective tissue were isolated that had fibroblastic characteristics. These studies support the concept that gingival tissue can give rise to cells which may differentiate along either a fibroblastic or an osteoblastic pathway.