Odontogenic Myxoma of the Maxilla- A Rare case Report.

Odontogenic myxoma (OM) is an uncommon, benign, locally invasive, non-metastasizing neoplasm arising from the odontogenic ectomesenchyme that usually occurs in the tooth bearing areas of the jaws. These lesions arouse special interest as they pose high diagnostic challenge. Here, we present a rare case of OM of the maxilla in an 18-year-old male.

Evaluation of myofibroblasts by expression of alpha smooth muscle actin: a marker in fibrosis, dysplasia and carcinoma.

Objective: Evaluation of Myofibroblasts by studying expression of Alpha smooth muscle actin: A marker of Fibrosis, Dysplasia and Carcinoma.

Background: Myofibroblasts are cells that have contractile properties and are involved in inflammation, wound healing, fibrosis and oncogenesis in most of the organs and tissues. They are involved in healing and granulation tissue formation which occur after tissue injuries, also produce inflammatory mediators, growth factors and help in extracellular matrix reorganization by secretion of proteins like collagen, fibronectin, etc.

Expression of Mucin 4 in leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma: An immunohistochemical study.

Background: Mucins are large glycosylated proteins that act as a selective molecular barrier on the epithelial surface and engage themselves in morphogenetic signal transduction pathways. MUC4 (Mucin 4) is a transmembrane mucin, that protects and lubricates the mucous membranes of the human body and involves itself in various cellular functions like growth, differentiation and signaling. An aberrant expression of MUC4 has been demonstrated in various human cancers.