🔷 Introduction:
Ghost cells are altered epithelial cells characterized by the loss of Nuclei with presence of basic cell outline.
➡️ Lesions showing Ghost cells:-
- COC & dentinogenic ghost cell tumour
- Odontomas
- Ameloblastomas (Pituitary)
- Ameloblastic fibro-odontoma
- Ameloblastic Odontoma
▪️Characteristic Features:
- Ghost cell change occurs due to coagulative Necrosis or a form of Normal/aberrant keratinization of odontogenic epithelium.
- Masses of ghost cells may fuse to form large sheets of amorphous, acellular material.
- Calcifications with them is common.
- Appear as basophilic granules- ⬆️ in size & no. – form extensive masses of calcified material.
- Areas of eosinophilic matrix material represent dysplastic dentin(dentinoid) present adjacent to epithelial component.
- Ghost cell contain –
- Nuclear Remnants
- Remnants of cytoplasmic organelles
- Numerous tonofilaments
- Ghost cell differ from normal keratotic squames – they are larger, vacuolated & remnants of nuclear membrane are more prominent.
- This may be due to intracellular edema & presence of dilated degenerated membranous organelles.
- Ghost cells are immuno-reactive for Amelogenin (enamel protein).
References: Shafer’sTextbook Of Oral Pathology
Dr. Mehnaz Memon🖊
Dentowesome 