Scanning electron microscopic study of oral leukoplakia*

Abstract

Biopsy specimens of buccal mucosa from six oral leukoplakia patients and one specimen of normal buccal mucosa were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed: (1) There was a difference between the surfaces of normal and leukoplakic epithelial cells. (2) The appearance varied with the clinical type of leukoplakia: in leukoplakia verrucosa, epithelial cells appeared keratinized; in leukoplakia erosiva, epithelial cells were dissociated. (3) Histologically, dysplastic erosive leukoplakia was characterized by an atypical arrangement of superficial cytoplasmic projections of epithelial cells.