title: The keratinizing tympanic epithelium: an enigma.
abstract: Both the centrifugal keratin dispersion on the pars tensa as well as the centripetal proliferative properties at the inferior annular tympanic region are discussed. There is evidence, histological and clinical, that these features are two distinct and different phenomena which both have clinical implications. While the centrifugal keratin dispersion is a physiological cleaning mechanism, the cytokeratin expression demonstrates the unusual but for years clinically noticed proliferative nature of the lower annular epithelium and provides biochemical evidence for a relationship between this epithelium and cholesteatoma formation.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boedts
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Broekaert
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement; D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000473:pathology; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000502:physiology*; D012421:Rupture; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins