Abstract
Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) has a higher recurrence rate in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) than in those without BCNS. Relatively few studies have reported the characteristics of the epithelial lining of OKCs in patients with BCNS. We treated two patients with BCNS and examined the expression of Ki-67 antigen by immunohistochemical techniques to study the growth potential of the epithelial lining of OKCs. We also studied the characteristics of three cytokeratins (CK14, 17, 19) forming part of the structure of epithelial tissue. Ki-67-positive cells were primarily found in the basal and sub-basal layers of the epithelium. The epithelial lining of OKCs in patients with BCNS has high growth activity, and the staining patterns of CK14 and CK17 are useful in the diagnosis of OKC.
