Histopathological studies on mucous cell and ciliated cell in the odontogenic cysts

In order to study the frequency of the mucous cells and ciliated cells in the odontogenic cysts, 700 cases were examined histologically. They consisted of 416 radicular cysts, 163 dentigerous cysts, 115 primordial cysts and 6 calcifying odontogenic cysts. Sixty-two cysts (radicular 36, dentigerous 20, primordial 6) were examined immuno-histochemically and four cysts radicular 2, dentigerous 2) were observed electron-microscopically. The results are as follows: 1. Histologically, the mucous cells and ciliated cells in the lining epithelium of the odontogenic cysts were typed into 4 varieties: goblet cell, squamous cell with mucus, ciliated cell and squamous cell with pseudo-microvilli type. Mucous cell were present in 23.8% of the radicular cysts, 28.2% the dentigerous cysts and 13.9% of the primordial cysts. Ciliated cells were present in 5.0% of the radicular cysts, 4.9% of the dentigerous cysts and 4.3% of the primordial cysts. Neither the mucous cell nor the ciliated cell was found in the primordial cysts showing keratinization (keratocyst) and in the calcifying odontogenic cysts. 2. Immunohistochemically, the secretory component was seen occasionally in the apical portion of the goblet cell, ciliated cell and squamous cell with pseudo-microvilli. 3. Electron-microscopically, the goblet cell contained abundant secretory granules, the ciliated cell had cilia and the squamous cell with pseudo-microvilli had villi in the apical surface. In the squamous cells with mucus and pseudo-microvilli, definite secretory granule could not be found.