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Variations in the nuclear‐cytoplasmic ratio during epithelial differentiation in experimental oral carcinogenesis
Author(s) -
White F. H.,
Gohari K.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1981.tb01262.x
Subject(s) - dmba , pathology , dysplasia , carcinogenesis , basal (medicine) , epithelial dysplasia , hyperplasia , malignant transformation , leukoplakia , biology , epithelium , lesion , basal cell , medicine , cancer , endocrinology , genetics , insulin
An increased nuclear‐cyloplasmic ratio is one of the cytological features of epithelial alypia taken into account when the histopathologist subjectively assesses whether an epithelial lesion is likely to become malignant. The present work evaluates this ratio ultrastructurally in the DMBA‐treated hamster cheek pouch model with a view to assessing whether alterations of this feature represent a valid indicator of malignant transformation. Following DMBA treatment, lesions obtained were assigned to three defined histopathological categories, namely epithelial hyperplasia, epithelial dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma. Untreated pouches served as controls. Electron micrographs were obtained of basal, spinous and granular layer cells from each of these categories and the N/C ratio was evaluated using stereological point counting techniques. The results indicated that progressive decreases in the ratio occurred in all pathological stages during differentiation (i.e., between basal and granular cells). During carcinogenesis there was a tendency for the ratios to decrease in each cell layer but significant differences were not detected between normal and premalignant lesions.