In a series of 354 salivary gland tumors, the morphological and immunohistochemical study of two distinctive types of extracellular matrix deposits was carried out. First, collagenous crystalloids, distinct spherical crystalloids composed of radially arranged needle-shaped collagen fibres, were found in twelve cases of benign salivary gland tumors. Second, collagenous spherules, globoid structures often showing concentric lamellar or radial pattern, were found in 46 cases of both benign and malignant salivary gland tumors. Immunohistochemically, collagenous crystalloids and collagenous spherules contain varying amounts of type I and III collagens, proteoglycans and elastic fibres but not collagen types II and VI. Strong linear deposition of basement membrane proteins, collagen type IV and laminin, surrounded collagenous spherules. Discontinuous patchy deposits of both proteins were, however, found near collagenous crystalloids. The cells surrounding these collagenous crystalloids and collagenous spherules showed immunohistochemical and morphological features of modified myoepithelial cells. Our observations may improve a terminology of the structures in question. Proposed active role of modified myoepithelial cells in the origin of these extracellular deposits still remains open for discussion.