Human odontogenic keratocyst transplants in nude mice.

Specimens from human odontogenic keratocysts were subcutaneously transplanted to nude mice. The transplants were harvested after 14-66 d with a rate of successful recovery of 87%. The histologic epithelial features in the original odontogenic keratocyst and their transplants were essentially similar. This included a well-defined basal cell layer composed of columnar and cuboidal cells, the number of cell layers and the keratinization pattern. Epithelial outgrowths from the transplants were found in 19 of 26 cases. The outgrowths over murine connective tissue in the majority of cases were keratinized, but the phenotypic expression differed with respect to the shape of basal cells and number of cell layers.