title: Immunohistochemical analysis of CK 18 in dental follicles of impacted third molars: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Odontogenic tumors are lesions derived from epithelial, ectomesenchymal, and/or mesenchymal elements that still are, or have been, part of the tooth-forming apparatus. Approximately 80% of odontogenic tumors occur in the mandible, with a marked predilection for the posterior region, and are often associated with an unerupted tooth. The aim of this study was to determine whether cytokeratin (CK) 18 immunostaining decorated the follicular tissue removed at the time of prophylactic extraction of impacted mandibular third molars, which might suggest oncofetal transformation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four impactions met the study inclusion criteria, of which 24 cases showed the presence of reduced enamel epithelium and/or connective tissue with odontogenic epithelium, which were subjected to CK 18 immunostaining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 24 cases with adequate epithelium were CK 18 immunonegative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no oncofetal transformation in the odontogenic epithelia of the dental follicles studied. Thus, although we reaffirm that evaluation of follicular tissue is imperative since disease conditions may be found in minute follicular spaces, development of odontogenic cysts and tumors is unlikely.
authors: Department of Oral Pathology, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet, India.
authors: Anand S
authors: AS
authors: Tegginamani
authors: Rajendra
authors: R
authors: Prasad
authors: Rekha V
authors: RV
authors: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry; D003795:Dental Sac / Q000737:chemistry*; D003803:Dentigerous Cyst / Q000737:chemistry; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000032:analysis*; D008334:Mandible / Q000737:chemistry; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000737:chemistry*; D009808:Odontogenic Tumors / Q000737:chemistry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D053538:Keratin-18