From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Epithelial dysplasia is the sum of various disturbances of epithelial proliferation and differentiation as seen microscopically. Individual cellular features of dysplasia are called epithelial atypia.

The changes that occur in epithelial dysplasia include:

• Drop-shaped rete processes.
• Basal cells hyperplasia.
• Irregular epithelial stratification.
• Nuclear hyperchromatism.
• Increase nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio.
• Increase normal and abnormal mitosis.
• Enlarged nucleoli.
• Individual cell keratinization.
• Loss or reduction in cellular cohesion.
• Cellular pleomorphism.
• Loss of basal cell polarity.

Epithelial cell dysplasia is divided into three severity categories: mild, moderate, and severe. Microinvasive squamous carcinoma is caused once the tumor breaks out.