Intermediate filament and carcinoembryonic antigen expression in salivary gland pleomorphic adenoma.

In recent years immunohistochemical studies have become of relevance in the discovery of significant antigenic structures in human cells. Filamentous protein structures with a diameter between that of microtubules and microfilaments have recently been described with the name of intermediate filaments. These structures play an important role in certain cellular functions such as cytokinesis and chromosome movements during cell division. The immunohistochemical expression of these filaments in tumoral disease is identical to that seen in normal cells of the type the tumor arises in. We describe the expression of some of these filaments and of carcinoembryonic antigen in an attempt to clarify the complex origin of pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary glands.