Mixed tumors of the parotid gland.An ultrastructural study

Abstract

Several histologic variants of parotid gland mixed tumors were examined ultrastructurally to determine the nature of the cells present within the myxoid stroma of these neoplasms. The stellate cells within the myxoid stroma of some of these cases resembled certain epithelial elements present within the glandular areas of others. In addition, the presence of desmosomal attachments further suggested an epithelial, rather than a mesenchymal, origin for these elements. No evidence was found to substantiate a myoepithelial histogenesis for these cells.