Scanning electron microscopy of oral epithelial cells. Part I. Normal and malignant tissue.

The surface features of cells removed by scraping from normal human oral mucous membrane and from squamous cell carcinomas of the oral mucosa were examined by scanning electron microscopy. It was concluded that in normal oral mucosa the cell surface morphology is dependent on the state of keratinisation of the tissue. Malignant cells were observed to display modified surface characteristics which have been tabulated. It is suggested that these characteristics may be of value in the diagnosis of malignancy.