Diagnostic Value of Cytokeratin 17 during Oral Carcinogenesis: An Immunohistochemical Study

Figure 1

CK17 expression in representatives of the normal oral mucosa (a), oral leukoplakia (OL) without dysplasia (b), OL with dysplasia (c), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) (d). (a) CK17 is not detected in the normal oral mucosa. In OL without dysplasia (b), CK17 is focally observed in the cytoplasm of upper prickle cells. In OL with dysplasia (c), CK17 decorates the cytoplasm of several basal cells, parabasal cells, as well as prickle cells. In well-differentiated OSCC, (d) cytoplasmic expression of CK17 is detected in numerous tumor cells at the central area of tumor islands.

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