AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDY OF BASAL MELANOCYTES AND HIGH-LEVEL CLEAR CELLS (LANGERHANS CELLS) IN VITILIGO

[摘要] The appearance under the electron microscope of the inactive basal melanocytes in vitiligo, as well as of the high level clear cells (Langerhans cells) of both vitiliginous and normal epidermis is described. These three cell types are structurally identical, and have many features in common with the normal basal melanocyte. They differ from the latter, however, with respect to a markedly indented nucleus and the occurrence of characteristic granules in the cytoplasm. These granules are smaller than melanin or pre-melanin granules, are of a different shape, and have a different internal structure. The significance of these findings in relation to the histopathology of vitiligo, as well as to the problem of the identity of high level clear cells, is discussed.