title: Human vaginal epithelium and the epithelial lining of a cyst model constructed from it: a comparative light microscopic and electron microscopic study.
abstract: The light microscopic features and keratin filament distribution of human vaginal epithelium resemble those of buccal mucosa. We used vaginal epithelium to establish a human cyst model in immunodeficient mice. To strengthen the view that this experimental cyst is a suitable model to study mucosal diseases, we compared specific light microscopic and ultra-structural features of vaginal epithelium and the epithelial lining of the cyst. Nineteen cyst walls and 6 specimens of vaginal mucosa, which had been used to establish the cysts, were examined. We counted the number of cell layers of 17 cyst linings and the 6 vaginal specimens. Surface keratinisation was evaluated on sections stained with the Picro-Mallory method. To demonstrate intercellular lamellae and membrane coating granules 2 cyst linings were examined ultra-structurally. The epithelium lining of the cyst wall was thinner than that of vaginal mucosa but the surface keratinisation and ultra-structural features of the intercellular lamellae and membrane coating granules were similar. We concluded that vaginal mucosa is a useful substitute for oral mucosa in the cyst model.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Oral Pathology, University of Stellenbosch, Bag XI, Tygerberg 7505. ioct@sun.ac.za
authors.forename: I O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: van Wyk
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Darling
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003560:Cysts / Q000473:pathology*; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005110:Extracellular Space; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007633:Keratins / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014621:Vagina / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D007633:Keratins