title: Morphometric evaluation of AgNORs in odontogenic cysts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the morphometry of AgNORs in odontogenic cysts and to compare their biologic behavior to determine whether AgNOR morphometry is helpful in predicting the behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten cases each of odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), dentigerous cyst (DC) and radicular cyst (RC) were stained with silver nitrate. Morphometric analysis of 100 selected epithelial and connective tissue cells was done to record their nuclear volume, nuclear perimeter, contour index of the nucleus, AgNOR count, AgNOR proportion and single AgNOR volume. The results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AgNOR count, nuclear volume and nuclear perimeter were greatest in the OKC followed by DC and RC, suggesting that these parameters differentiate between the aggressive and less aggressive odontogenic cysts. Single AgNOR volume and AgNOR proportion were greatest in the RC followed by OKC and DC, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of our study taken in isolation point to AgNOR count as the most reliable factor in differentiating between aggressive and nonaggressive odontogenic cysts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, JSS Dental College and Hospital, Mysore, India. sreeshylahs@gmail.com
authors.forename: Huchanahalli S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sreeshyla
authors.forename: Raju
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shashidara
authors.forename: Udyavara Sridhara
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Sudheendra
mesh_terms: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D009807:Odontogenic Cysts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D015415:Biomarkers; C051963:nucleolar organizer region associated proteins