title: Ultrastructural changes in malignant transformation of oral mucosa.
abstract: Transmission electron microscopy (EM) has been used to identify the ultrastructural details of normal and cancerous human oral mucosa. However, inconsistent reports of structural descriptions have rendered transmission EM valueless in the diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or as a prognostic indicator. To identify features of dysplasia for diagnostic purposes, normal mucosa, severe dysplasia, oral SCC and normal margin adjacent to oral SCC were used to compare the ultrastructural features of normal and premalignant oral mucosa and oral SCC. The preparatory stages of dehydration, embedding, cutting and positive staining for transmission EM were modified and tested to improve ultrastructural definition. Thin and discontinuous basal laminas were found in mucosa with severe dysplasia and normal margin adjacent to oral SCC. No basal lamina was identified in oral SCC. This study has shown that there are some ultrastructural changes during malignant transformation of oral mucosa. Together with other laboratory investigative techniques, transmission EM may be helpful in detecting malignant changes in oral mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Leeds Dental Institute, Leeds, UK. Leo.cheng@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
authors.forename: L H-H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hudson
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003890:Desiccation; D005110:Extracellular Space; D022002:Hemidesmosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008867:Microtomy; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016613:Plastic Embedding; D011127:Polyps / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D004396:Coloring Agents; C037883:Lowicryl 4KM resin