Preliminary observations on the fine structure of oral mucosa

✍ Scribed by Sognnaes, Reidar F. ;Albright, John T.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1956
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 828 KB
• Volume: 126
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0003-276X
• DOI: 10.1002/ar.1091260208

✦ Synopsis

The epithelial lining of the mouth is the site of significant structural changes in the course of oral embryology and pathology. Invagination and differentiation of the ectodermal epithelium of the embryonic mouth initiates the development of the teeth, the salivary glands, as well as the anterior lobe of the pitiutary gland. Information on the structure and function of the oral epithelium and its intra-oral derivatives -mucous membrane, mucous glands, gingiva and dental enamel -is particularly basic to a better understanding of pathological changes associated with aging, leukoplakia, neoplasia, desquamative stomatitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease and also decay of the enamelthe external barrier to dental caries.

I n previous work we have explored the various oral tissues of lower animals and man by means of histological and histochemical methods (Wislocki and Sognnaes, '50 ; Sognnaes, '55). Our earlier work with the electron microscope has been confined to the dental hard tissues (Sognnaes e t al., '52; Scott and Albright, '54). The present report concerns some preliminary observations on the ultra-structure of the epithelial lining of the oral mucosa.

The oral mucosa has several characteristic features. Certain portions of the oral lining normally show prominent cornification, not as complete as in the skin, but more extensively than in other mucous membranes. The squamous cells, despite their cornified state, are normally desquamated in toto, 225