Scanning electron microscopic study of oral leukoplakia.
Biopsy specimens of buccal mucosa from six oral leukoplakia patients and one specimen of normal buccal mucosa were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed: (1) There was a difference between the surfaces of normal and leukoplakic epithelial cells. (2) The appearance varied with the clinical type of leukoplakia: in leukoplakia verrucosa, epithelial cells appeared keratinized; in leukoplakia erosiva, epithelial cells were dissociated. (3) Histologically, dysplastic erosive leukoplakia was characterized by an atypical arrangement of superficial cytoplasmic projections of epithelial cells.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure