Mucous cell differentiation in a unicystic ameloblastoma.

The authors report a case of unicystic ameloblastoma with mucous cell differentiation in the right mandible of a 24-year-old Korean male who suffered from painful swelling for 2 months. A radiograph showed a well-circumscribed radiolucent lesion between the root of the right first premolar and the first molar tooth. Microscopic examination revealed the cystic lesion was lined with ameloblastic epithelium and goblet cells in the epithelium. The mucous cells reacted positively to mucicarmine stain. The possible pathogenic mechanism of this case reflects the pluripotential character of the odontogenic epithelium. The prognosis is probably that expected for conventional unicystic ameloblastoma.