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Distribution of laminin and collagen type‐IV in benign and malignant lesions of melanocytic origin
Author(s) -
Natali P. G.,
Nicotra M. R.,
Bellocci M.,
Cavaliere R.,
Bigotti A.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910350408
Subject(s) - basement membrane , laminin , melanocyte , basal lamina , melanoma , pathology , antigen , biology , type iv collagen , lineage (genetic) , basal (medicine) , lamina lucida , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , extracellular matrix , medicine , ultrastructure , cancer research , endocrinology , biochemistry , gene , insulin
Using antisera for two specific basement membrane (b.m.) antigens such as laminin and collagen type‐IV, together with efectron microscopy, we have shown that fully antigenic b.m. and morphologically typical basal lamina (b.l.) are associated with normal and transformed cells of the melanocyte lineage in different ways. Thus, while b.m. and b.l. surround individual choroidal melanocytes, intradermal nevic cells and cells of blue nevi are not detectable at the periphery of resting and proliferating epidermal melanocytes. They have a low degree of expression with a heterogeneous pattern of distribution in primary and meta‐static melanoma. This heterogeneity is present within single metastases and among autologous metastases. These findings indicate that the presence of b.m. can be an additional marker for cells of the melanocyte lineage and should be considered when applying ser‐ological means for the detection and control of neoplasms of melanocytic origin.