Features of odontogenesis and expression of cytokeratins and tenascin-C in three cases of extraosseous and intraosseous calcifying odontogenic cyst

• Published in: Journal of oral pathology & medicine 1997-07, Vol.26 (6), p.265-272
• Main Authors: Lukinmaa, Pirjo-Liisa, Leppaniemi, Anu, Hietanen, Jarkko, Allemanni, Giorgio, Zardi, Luciano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Biological and medical sciences; calcifying odontogenic cyst; Cell Lineage; Child; Coloring Agents; Connective Tissue - pathology; cytokeratins; Dentistry; doontogenesis; Ent. Stomatology; Epithelium - pathology; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Gingiva - cytology; Glycoproteins - analysis; Glycoproteins - genetics; histology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Keratins - analysis; Keratins - genetics; Male; Mandibular Neoplasms - genetics; Mandibular Neoplasms - pathology; Mandibular Neoplasms - physiopathology; Medical sciences; Mouth Mucosa - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - genetics; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - physiopathology; Odontogenesis; Odontogenic Cyst, Calcifying - genetics; Odontogenic Cyst, Calcifying - pathology; Odontogenic Cyst, Calcifying - physiopathology; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Radicular Cyst - genetics; Radicular Cyst - pathology; Radicular Cyst - physiopathology; Tenascin - analysis; Tenascin - genetics; tenascin-C
• ISSN: 0904-2512; 1600-0714
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1997.tb01235.x

To characterize further the nature of calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC), we studied histologically and immunohistochemically an extraosseous and two intraosseous lesions. The extraosseous COC was in continuity with the stratified squamous epithelium of the alveolar mucosa. Immunostaining with monoclonal antibodies showed reactivity of both low‐ and high‐molecular‐weight cytokeratins, the degree of coexpression decreasing with the increasing morphological diversity of the cyst/tumour epithelium. Staining for the matrix glycoprotein tenascin‐C was seen not only in the connective tissue, where its distribution patterns corresponded to the stage of hard tissue formation, but also in epithelial elements. The staining patterns were analogous to those described during normal tooth formation. Both the morphological characteristics and expression patterns of the various cytokeratin types and tenascin‐C implied that COC represents a pathological counterpart of normal odontogenesis. In the case of the extraosseous COC, the correspondence could he traced back to early stages of tooth development.