[Ultrastructure of dyskeratosis in invasive laryngeal carcinoma (author's transl)]

The occurrence and morphology of dyskeratotic cells in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx was examined electron microscopically. An aggregation and condensation of cytoplasmic tonofilaments was observed in the dyskeratotic cells. The remnants of nuclei and other degenerated organelles were found to be intermingled with electron dense tonofilament aggregates. In some dyskeratotic cells whole desmosomes or fragmented desmosomal structures were located within the cytoplasm. The more advanced dyskeratotic cells were phagocytized by the surrounding malignant keratinocytes either in toto or in fragments. The dyskeratosis in laryngeal carcinoma is characterized by premature, abnormal, and individual keratinization of the malignant keratinocytes.