ABSTRACT
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved intracellular catabolic process that recycles and degrades proteins, organelles and pathogens. It is an endogenous defence mechanism regulating multiple cellular pathways like apoptosis, inflammation, immune response and pathogen clearance and acts as a modulator of pathogenesis. This article highlights the emerging role of autophagy in inflammation and regeneration of human dental pulp. It emphasizes exploring autophagy and autophagy agonists as potential targets for the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
ABSTRACT
Myofibroma (MF) is a benign spindle cell neoplasm rarely found in the oral cavity. It is common in males than females (2:1) and mostly seen to develop before 2 years of age with few cases reported in adults. This article reports a rare case of solitary MF of the hard palate in an 8-year-old female child; highlighting the clinical features, histopathology, differential diagnosis while emphasizing the importance of immunohistochemistry in establishing an accurate diagnosis and management of the same. The objective should be to differentiate benign versus malignant spindle cell lesions of smooth muscle, nerve tissue, fibrocytic, and histiocytic origin. Rapid growth of the lesion often raises suspicion of malignancy and may lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate management.