Abstract

CEDENO B, Floribel  and  FINOL, Héctor J. Algunas consideraciones sobre la patología ultraestructural de los queratinocitos en leucoplasia bucal del tipo clínico homogéneo. Acta odontol. venez [online]. 2005, vol.43, n.1, pp.14-18. ISSN 0001-6365.

Oral leukoplakia is a predominantly white lesion non characterized as any other established definite lesion. It constitutes a potentially malignant lesion, with a transformation rate that varies between 3 and 18%. Clinically, there are homogeneous and non homogeneous leukoplakia. Homogeneous leukoplakia is related with a minor transformation potential. However, the ultrastructural study of these lesions could reveal initial morphological changes as malignancy markers not detected by histopathological studies. In this study 5 biopsies of oral leukoplakia were taken from patients attending in the Service of Estomatological Clinics, Dental school, Universidad Central de Venezuela. Samples were processed by routine techniques for transmission electron microscopy. Results were as follows: disruptions and lamination of basement membrane, decrease of desmosome member and widening of intercellular spaces. Keratinocytes showed variations in number and distribution of tonofilaments, elongated nuclei with variable amount of heterochromatin, some showing scarce heterochomatin other exhibiting condensed areas of it. Nuclei presented more than one nucleolus with reticular aspect. In general keratinocyte cytoplasm showed proliferation of organelles. Mentioned alterations suggest abnormalities in the organizational plan of ripeness of keratinocytes indicating metabolic and proliferative activities similar to these observed in oral carcinomas.

Keywords : leukoplakia; keratinocyte; ultrastructure; premalignant.