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Epithelial and connective tissue compartments of rat oral mucosa were dissociated after incubation with elastase ± soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI). Elastase + SBTI induced greater ultrastructural damage within the dissociated compartments than elastase alone. The basal lamina remained with the epithelial layer after elastase separation and was destroyed after exposure to elastase + SBTI. Isolated epithelial mitochondria were more severely damaged ultrastructurally after elastase + SBTI separation of the compartment than those prepared after exposure to elastase alone. Isolated fibroblast mitochondria were damaged to the same extent after dissociation of the compartment with either medium. Oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial recoveries declined significantly after exposure to either dissociating medium. Cytochrome oxidase activity was significantly greater than succinic cytochrome c reductase in the control and experimental groups. Oxidative metabolism was found to be significantly greater in the connective tissue compartment than the epithelial compartment after dissociation of immature rat oral mucose. Our data suggests that caution be utilized in assessing cellular viability and oxidative metabolism in tissue compartments immediately after their dissociation by proteolytic enzymes.

Oral mucosal mitochondria were isolated and characterized morphologically by electron microscopy. Polarographic measurements were made of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondrial preparations. ADP:O ratios approaching or slightly exceeding the theoretical maxima and stabilized respiratory control ratios were achieved with malate + glutamate, succinate and ascorbate- N,N,N 1 N 1 tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD) as substrates. Inhibition by rotenone, antimycin A, azide, and cyanide established the classical electron transport chain as the major pathway of mitochondrial respiration. Respiration of the oral mucosal mitochondria was stimulated by DNP in the presence of succinate. DNP-stimulated respiration exceeded that observed in the presence of ADP plus Pi and increasing the concentration of DNP progressively inhibited respiration.

The recent development of lasers has made relatively monochromatic, coherent radiation available in the visible, ultraviolet and infra-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Initial studies on laser irradiation of the skin of rodents (1, 2, 3) suggested that the effects were not due to conductive heat alone. Subsequent studies demonstrated the formation of free radicals (4) in the skin of mice following laser irradiation. It was further observed (5) that laser radiation at high power levels had differential effects on melanin. Irradiation of transplanted melanoma resulted in lasting regressions at high energy levels (6, 7, 8).

Laser radiation (1, 2) at various wave lengths and at increasing energy and power levels is being used in biological and physical laboratories for investigation of the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter. Biological studies have emphasized investigation of eyes (3, 4, 5) and skin (6, 7) since in the intact organism these structures are the immediate sites of interaction with primary (laser) and secondary (scattered) radiation.

Potential biological implications of laser radiation in the visible and infra-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum (1) have been discussed by Townes (2) and Solon, Aaronson and Gould (3). The term ''laser” is a contraction of Zight amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.