NUCLEAR MORPHOMETRY IN EXPERIMENTAL ORAL MUCOSAL CARCINOGENESIS

The area, perimeter and diameter of basal cell nuclei of rat palatal e pithelium were measured and the deviation of the basal cell nuclear pr ofile from the form of a sphere was assessed after the application of the carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO). After a 24-week treatm ent-free period, designed to eliminate the irritant effect of the carc inogen, the rats were killed, the palatal mucosa was recovered and pro cessed and the nuclear histometry was assessed with image analysis tec hniques. The basal cell nuclear area increased as the epithelium becam e dysplastic and then decreased as carcinoma developed, but there were significant variations in this parameter in the control groups. Basal cell nuclei from moderately or severely dysplastic epithelium, and fr om epithelium adjacent to areas of invasive carcinoma, were significan tly less regular in profile by comparison with control nuclei. Variati ons in nuclear profile, but not nuclear area, perimeter or diameter, m ight reflect fundamental nuclear alterations of significance during th e process of carcinogenesis. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd