Tissue culture of an ameloblastoma

Summary

Explants of a highly differentiated type of ameloblastoma from the lower jaw of a 44-year-old white female were cultivated in roller tubes.

Epithelial elements of squamous type which formed widespread sheets accounted for the major part of the outgrowth from such explants although fibroblastic cells sometimes were present.

The epithelial cells were similar in structure and behaviour to those obtained from culture of the enamel organ although in some respects, such as the vigorous movement of undulating membranes, pinocytosis and the formation of perinuclear vacuoles, the tumor cells showed much more activity than those of normal tissue from the enamel organ.

The tendency of emigration of the epithelial elements was shown by histological examination of the explants which were kept floating in the fluid medium.