We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Ameloblastoma in a wild black rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis).
- Authors
Comolli, Jessica R.; Olsen, Haley M. H.; Seguel, Mauricio; Schnellbacher, Rodney W.; Fox, Andrew J.; Divers, Stephen J.; Sakamoto, Kaori
- Abstract
Reports of neoplasia in captive reptiles are becoming more frequent; however, there is still scarce knowledge of the occurrence of neoplasia in wild reptiles. A wild black rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) was presented to the Zoological Medicine service of the University of Georgia’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital with a 3 cm in diameter solid mandibular mass that was partially ulcerated. Radiographically, the mass was radiopaque with small bone spicules and partial osteolysis of the adjacent mandible. Histologic examination of the mass revealed a neoplasm composed of cuboidal to polygonal cells arranged in islands, anastomosing cords, and trabeculae of pseudostratified epithelium with a palisading peripheral layer of densely packed columnar cells with cytoplasmic clearing. The neoplastic tissue was separated from the mesenchyme by a prominent band of fine collagen. Neoplastic cells were positive for cytokeratin and negative for smooth muscle actin. Electron microscopy highlighted the presence of tonofilaments and microvilli. These findings led to the diagnosis of ameloblastoma, an odontogenic epithelial tumor known to occur in humans and most veterinary species.
- Subjects
AMELOBLASTOMA; EASTERN rat snake; TUMORS in animals; CAPTIVE reptiles; SPICULE (Anatomy); BONE resorption
- Publication
Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 2015, Vol 27, Issue 4, p536
- ISSN
1040-6387
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/1040638715590652