title: Angioarchitecture of primary oral malignant melanomas.
abstract: Angiogenesis is an essential process in the progression of malignant tumors. However, little is known of the angioarchitecture in primary oral malignant melanoma. We sought to determine this by the use of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain, endothelial markers (CD34, CD105) and laminin, and by transmission electron microscopy in two cases. The results demonstrated that endothelium-lined vessels dominated the tumor microvasculature and these stained positively for PAS, laminin, and endothelial markers. Mosaic and tumor-lined vessels were infrequently encountered. Most PAS-positive patterned networks and loops ultrastructurally represented intratumor microhemorrhages that probably arose secondary to tumor vessel leakiness. Vascular channels of the vasculogenic mimicry type were rare. They stained for laminin but not for endothelial markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: You-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Chong-Huat
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Siar
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagatsuka
authors.forename: Hidetsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsujigiwa
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Roan
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunduz
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008545:Melanoma / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*