Aims: To determine the origin of mono-, bi- and multinucleate stellate giant cells in giant cell fibroma, fibrous hyperplasia and fibroepithelial polyp of the oral mucosa.
Methods: Ten cases of each lesion were studied immunohistochemically using anti-vimentin, -HHF-35, -CD68 and -factor XIIIa antibodies. Immunoreactivity of the cells was determined in the papillary and reticular lamina propria of these lesions.
Results: Vimentin positivity in both the papillary and reticular lamina propria was observed for most samples, especially giant cell fibroma cases.
Conclusions: The immunohistochemical findings of the present study suggest that the mono-, bi- or multinucleate stellate giant cells observed in the lesions studied derived from the fibroblastic lineage.