Histopathology
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The distribution pattern of the basement membrane components type VII collagen and laminin, was studied immunohistochemically in normal human head and neck tissues and in a series of benign and malignant tumours from the same site. Using monoclonal antibodies, a basement membrane containing type VII collagen and laminin could be demonstrated beneath the epithelial cell layer in 16 normal head and neck tissues from different localizations. Unlike type VII collagen, laminin was also abundantly present around blood vessels and muscle fibres. ⋯ Laminin was present in 17 and type VII collagen in 10 of 19 cases of pleomorphic adenoma, mostly scattered throughout the tumour fields. In the tumours positive for type VII collagen areas with little or no positivity were also found. A correlation between type VII collagen positivity and the presence of basal cell keratin 14 positivity was noticed in the majority of cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)