Rooban, TSaraswathi, T RGeorge, AntonyJoshua, ElizabethRanganathan, K2009-05-282009-05-282004-10-23Rooban T, Saraswathi TR, George A, Joshua E, Ranganathan K. Cytological study of copper in oral submucous fibrosis. Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2004 Oct-Dec; 15(4): 129-32http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/51870BACKGROUND: Habitual arecanut chewing is associated with Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSF). High copper content in arecanut plays a vital role in pathogenesis of OSF. This study evaluates the copper-staining pattern of buccal epithelial cells in oral cytological smears of non-chewers, chewers, and OSF. MATERIALS & METHODS: Alcohol fixed buccal epithelial smears of 10 histopathologically confirmed cases of OSF, 10 chewers without lesion, and 5 nonchewers were stained with modified Rhodamine technique and studied under the light microscope. Buccal epithelial smears of non-chewers dipped in copper sulphate solution were used as known positive for copper. RESULT: Copper appeared as shades of palered within the cytoplasm of chewers and did not show any stain in non-chewers. Intense red stain was seen in OSF smears as dark granules within the cytoplasm. CONCLUSION: Intense staining of copper in OSF buccal smears, than in the chewers supports the role of copper in the pathogenesis of OSF.engArecaCopper --analysisCytoplasm --pathologyEpithelial Cells --pathologyFluorescent Dyes --diagnostic useHumansMouth Mucosa --pathologyOral Submucous Fibrosis --pathologyRhodamines --diagnostic useJournal Article