Nucleolar organizer regions in selected odontogenic lesions
Dr. Masoud Yaghmaei, Mehrdad Firoozi, Arash Shoja saffar Abstract The present study aimed to assess the usefulness argyrophilic nuclear organizer regions ( AgNORs) as quantitative of criteria in the diagnosis of odontogentic cysts and tumors. This descriptive cross- sectional study was done on archival paraffin blocks (n = 37), consisting of 10 conventional ameloblastomas, 7 cases of unicystic ameloblastoma, 10 odontogentic keratocysts, and 10 dentigerous cysts all accessioned between 1994 and 2000. The findings showed a significant statistical differences among the 4 lesions ( P < 0.001). Conventional and unicystic ameloblastomas had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) number of AgNORs than odontogenic keratocysts and dentigerous cysts. No significant differences were observed within each group of tumors or cysts. The number of AgNORs was also significantly higher (P < 0.005) in the nuclei of basal layer cells of the epithelial lining of keratocysts than in the nuclei of parabasal layer cells. AgNORs in conventional and unicystic ameloblastomas were smaller but more broadly distributed , which may indicate higher proliferative activity. AgNORs can be useful in the histopathologic differentiation of ameloblastomas from odontogenic cysts.
Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral RadiolEndod(2003 ; 95: 187-92) | 
