Ectopic Production of Hair Keratin Constitutes Rushton's Hyaline Bodies in Association with Hematogenous Deposits
April 2012
in “
Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine
”
TLDR Rushton's hyaline bodies form from hair keratin and blood substances.
The study investigated the origin of Rushton’s hyaline bodies (HBs) found in odontogenic cysts, using 10 specimens from 400 cysts. It was found that HBs contained hair keratin and keratin 17, with hair keratin concentrated in HBs and keratin 17 observed near them. HBs also tested positive for hemoglobin alpha chain. The study concluded that HBs formed due to two independent events: the unusual production of hair keratin and hemorrhage providing erythrocytic substances. This reconciled the debate between the keratin and hematogenous theories, suggesting both are necessary for HB formation and proposing that HBs might be novel non-pathological amyloidogenic proteins.