Congenital epulis of the newborn is histologically similar to which of the following?

Congenital epulis of the newborn is a rare benign tumor that primarily occurs on the alveolar ridge of neonates and is often found on the maxilla. Histologically, it is closely related to granular cell tumors. Both congenital epulis and granular cell tumors feature abundant eosinophilic, granular cytoplasm due to the presence of lysosomal granules, and they share a similar cellular appearance with large cells that have a granular cytoplasm.

The similarity in histological presentation stems from the presence of the granular cells, which are thought to originate from Schwann cells in the case of granular cell tumors. In the context of congenital epulis, they are believed to represent an excitatory response of the fibroblasts to the local environment, resulting in the characteristic granular appearance.

This shared histological feature is the key reason why congenital epulis is considered to be histologically similar to granular cell tumors, making it the correct choice. Understanding the histological characteristics helps in differentiating congenital epulis from other lesions and tumors in the oral cavity.