ODONTOGENIC MYXOMA OF THE JAWS - A CLINICAL, RADIOLOGIC, IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL, AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL-STUDY

Ten cases of odontogenic myxoma were evaluated radiologically, histolo gically, and histochemically. Ultrastructural examination was performe d in five cases. Stellate cells with branching processes were seen in an abundant acid mucopolysaccharide background. Occasionally macrophag es were found in the tumors. In two cases islands of inactive odontoge nic epithelium were identified. The ultrastructural features suggest t hat many lesional cells are very similar to a myofibroblast. With the avidin-biotin complex immunohistochemical technique, the lesions were rested with antibodies to S-100 protein, neuron-specific enolase, neur ofilaments, glial fibrillary acid protein, keratin, desmin, muscle-spe cific actin, and vimentin. All the lesions were found to be positive f or vimentin and muscle-specific actin, and negative for the rest. The results of our study seem to confirm the muscle-specific actin-positiv ity of odontogenic myxomas as previously reported.