Sequential electron microscopic healing study of grafted palatal mucosal.

Human palatal mucosa may be glycerolized, frozen, thawed, and autogenically transplanted with success after a storage period. Although tissue damage is observed, both on a light and electron microscopic level, this is not clinically significant. This damage is attributed to the glycerolization, freezing, and thawing processes. As evidenced primarily by our ultrastructural study, regeneration of grafted epithelium is effected via the basal cell layer. The formation of intracytoplasmic vesicular structures and alterations in both the basal lamina and intercellular substances may play a significant role in the regenerative process. The electron microscope has served to elucidate changes in regenerating cells that have not been previously observed by light microscopy.