Amelogenin in calcified matrices of odontogenic cysts and odontogenic tumors: An immunohistochemical study.

Background/purpose: There are few studies comparing the expression of enamel proteins, such as amelogenin, and cytokeratins in cyst and odontogenic tumors like in ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst, indicating that amelogenin could be a potential biomarker for the aggressiveness in the odontogenic tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the expression of amelogenin, cytokeratin AE1/AE3 (CKAE1/AE3) and cytokeratin 14 (CK14) in cysts and odontogenic tumors with calcified matrices such as calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC), compound (CdO) and complex (CxO) odontomas, adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT) and calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT) as an aggressiveness indicator.

Materials And Methods: Three COC, eight CxO, three CdO, twelve AOT, two CEOT and three dental germs were submitted to an immunohistochemistry panel of antibodies composed of amelogenin, CKAE1/AE3 and CK14.

Evaluation of keratinization and AgNORs count in exfoliative cytology of normal oral mucosa from smokers and non-smokers.

Objective: In smokers with clinically normal buccal mucosa,cytological changes such as increased keratinization, and higher nucleolar activity have been observed. In these studies the cells for cytological smears were obtained with a wooden spatula. Our objectives were to evaluate the depth of cytological smears of oral mucosa obtained with both a brush (endobrush) and a wooden spatula, and to compare the degree of keratinization and the nucleolar activity in smokers and non-smokers.