Radiation-induced epithelial-submucosal separation: an electron and light microscopical investigation.

Irradiation injury of the mouse tongue was studied by electron and light microscopy. A specific lesion was found to be the result of edema. Epithelial compensation was seen in the form of proliferation of desmosomes and hemidesmosomes, elongation of rete ridges, and hypertrophy of cytoplasmic projections from basal cells.