Odontogenic Keratocyst, Orthokeratinized Odontogenic Cyst and Epidermal Cyst: An Immunohistochemical Study Including Markers of Proliferation, Cytokeratin and Apoptosis Related Factors

Objective: There are microscopic similarities among odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), orthokeratinized odontogenic keratocyst (OOC) and epidermal cyst (EDC). This study was to compare with cell proliferation, cell differentiation and apoptosis related factors in OKC, OOC and EDC in order to clarify the characters and category of three hitstopathologically similar cysts. Material and Methods: Fourteen cases of OKC, nine cases of OOC and eighteen cases of EDC were examined immunohistochemically using antibodies against Ki-67, cytokeratins (CK7, 10, 10/13, 17, 18, 19, 20) and apoptosis related factors (bcl-2 and Bax). Results: Ki-67 labeling index in OKC was statistically higher than that in OOC and EDC (p