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Light and Electron Microscopic Study of Riehl's Melanosis. Possible Mode of its Pigmentary Incontinence
Author(s) -
Nagao Sadanori,
Iijima Susumu
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0560.1974.tb00622.x
Subject(s) - melanosome , basal lamina , dermis , pathology , epidermis (zoology) , melanosis , lamina densa , electron microscope , melanocyte , anatomy , chemistry , medicine , dermatology , melanin , basement membrane , ultrastructure , melanoma , biochemistry , physics , cancer research , optics
Four cases of Riehl's melanosis were studied with light and electron microscopes. The results obtained were as follows:1 Unmyelinated nerve fibers were found in both the epidermis and the dermis, and the Schwann cells enclsing the axons contained melanosomes. A peculiar pigment cell was found in the epidermis, it was thought to be a macrophage phagocytizing melanosomes from the extracellular spaces. A melanophage in contact with a keratinocyte through the gaps of the basal lamina was observed. It was suggested that all these processes might participate in pigmentary incontinence in Riehl's melanosis. 2 At the dermo‐epidermal junction the basal lamina was multilayered. In the upper dermis a large number of melanophages were present, and in addition, amyloid islets and fibrillar masses resembling the “fibrilläre Körper” were observed.