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The use of Michel's transport medium for immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy in autoimmune bullous diseases
Author(s) -
Vaughan Jones S.A.,
Palmer I.,
Bhogal B. S.,
Eady R. A. J.,
Black M.M.
Publication year - 1995
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.1600-0560.1995.tb01421.x
Subject(s) - immunoelectron microscopy , epidermolysis bullosa acquisita , dermoepidermal junction , bullous pemphigoid , pathology , lamina lucida , cicatricial pemphigoid , pemphigoid , immunofluorescence , papillary dermis , lamina densa , basement membrane , medicine , dermatology , dermis , chemistry , ultrastructure , basal lamina , immunohistochemistry , antibody , immunology
We report the use of Michel's solution, already a well established transport medium, in the combined use of direct immunofluorescence (IMF) and pre‐embedding immunoelectron microscopy in 3 subepidermal bullous diseases ‐ bullous pemphigoid (BP), epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) and dermal binding linear IgA disease (LABD). Our studies demonstrated that electron microscopy of normal skin maintained in Michel's medium for up to 28 clays showed remarkable preservation of all components of the basement membrane zone, including the ultrastructure of the basal keratinocytes, dermoepidermal junction and papillary dermis. However, epidermal cell cytolysis occurred after just 48 hours. Immunoelectron microscopy using a gold probe has enabled us to localise the immunoreactants in bullous pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and dermal‐binding linear IgA bullous dermatoses. Our findings are comparable to and as equally reliable as those on immunoelectron microscopy of fresh skin biopsies with no loss of antigen deposition, and demonstrate an effective new use of a well established transport medium.