title: Analysis of silver stained nucleolar organizing regions in odontogenic cysts and tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to investigate the probable differences in cell proliferation index of odontogenic cysts and tumors by means of a comparative silver stained nucleolar organizing region (AgNOR) quantification.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on archival paraffin blocks (n = 62), consisting of 10 odontogenic keratocysts, 10 dentigerous cysts, 10 radicular cysts, 10 conventional ameloblastomas, 10 adenomatoid odontogenic tumors, 10 calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumors and 2 ameloblasic carcinomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean AgNOR count of odontogenic cysts was 1.709 and the benign odontogenic tumors was 1.862. Highest AgNOR count was recorded in odontogenic keratocyst and lowest was seen in radicular cyst. Statistically significant difference in AgNOR counts of ameloblastoma and adenomatoid odontogenic tumor, amelobalastoma and calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor, benign odontogenic tumors and ameloblastic carcinoma were seen. AgNORs in ameloblastic carcinoma were more in number and more widely spread.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AgNOR technique may be considered a good indicator of cell proliferation in odontogenic cysts and tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, MNR Dental College, Sangareddy, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Md
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prasanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, MNR Dental College, Sangareddy, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Cr
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Charan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, MNR Dental College, Sangareddy, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Kranti Kiran
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Reddy Ealla
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, MNR Dental College, Sangareddy, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Surekha
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Malla Reddy Dental College, Suraram, Jeedimetla, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Ganesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Registrar, Surgical Oncology, Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gokavarapu
keywords: Odontogenic cysts; odontogenic tumors; silver stained nucleolar organizing region