The pattern and morphology of cellular infiltration of iris melanocytes implanted into the corneal stroma were studied with a rabbit corneal model. Iris melanocytes are transformed into fibroblast-like cells with a loss of pigment granules, which may reflect the in vivo characteristics of iris melanocytes under pathologic conditions. The metaplastic chararter of iris melanocytes appears to be related to the formation of retrocorneal pigmentation and fibrous membrane.
Animals ; Cell Division ; Cornea/*cytology/pathology/surgery ; Iris/*cytology ; Melanocytes/*cytology/physiology/transplantation ; Metaplasia/pathology ; Rabbits

Ota's nevus is mongolian spot-like macular blue-black or gray-brown patchy pigmentation that most commonly ocurrs in areas innervated by the first and second division of the trigeminal nerve. Acquired, bilateral nevus of Ota-like macules (ABNOM) is located bilaterally on the face, appears later in life, is blue-brown or slate-gray in color. It is not accompanied by macules on the ocular and mucosal membranes. There is also debate as to whether ABNOM is part of the Ota's nevus spectrum. We report an interesting case of ABNOM associated with Ota's nevus. A 36-yr-old Korean women visited our clinic with dark bluish patch on the right cheek and right conjunctiva since birth. She also had mottled brownish macules on both forehead and both lower eyelids that have developed 3 yr ago. Skin biopsy specimens taken from the right cheek and left forehead all showed scattered, bipolar or irregular melanocytes in the dermis. We diagnosed lesion on the right cheek area as Ota's nevus and those on both forehead and both lower eyelids as ABNOM by clinical and histologic findings. This case may support the view that ABNOM is a separate entity from bilateral Ota's nevus.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Face/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Melanocytes/cytology ; Nevus of Ota/diagnosis/*pathology ; Nevus, Pigmented/diagnosis/*pathology

The development of human melanocyte culture in vitro from normal adult skin and uninvolved skin of vitiligo patients is essential to investigate the mechanism of depigmentation in vitiligo and other pigmentary dermatoses. By using selective growth and long-term maintenance conditions, we selectively cultured melanocytes derived from normal foreskins and arm skins, and uninvolved foreskins and arm skins of vitiligo patients. The melanocytes of the arm skins were successfully cultured from the roofs of suction blisters. Melanocyte Growth Media (MGM) consisting of MCDB-153 formulation with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), bovine pituitary extract (BPE), insulin, hydrocortisone, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and 10% human AB serum was sufficient to grow the melanocytes from normal and vitiligo donors. Melanocytes from uninvolved skin of vitiligo donors showed no different morphologic features, initial seeding capacity and population doubling time compared with those from normal skin. Melanocytes from both cell types grew without any lag period for more than 6 months (6-11 passages). Melanocytes obtained from foreskins had higher initial seeding capacity and shorter population doubling time than those obtained from arm skins using suction-blistered roofs. Our results suggest that the culture method using suction blisters may be a simple and easy way to obtain melanocytes. In addition, vitiligo melanocytes can be successfully cultured with appropriate growth conditions and may show no defective growth patterns. This culture system will be applied to investigate the basic pathophysiology of vitiligo and other various pigmentary dermatoses.
Cells, Cultured ; *Cytological Techniques ; Human ; Melanocytes/*cytology/*pathology ; Reference Values ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Vitiligo/*pathology

Calcitonin ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; cytology ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; S100 Proteins ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

Both acquired bilateral nevus of Ota-like macules (ABNOM) and nevus of Ota are characterized by the presence of dermal melanocytes. There are no differences in the method of treatment, however, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) develops more often in ABNOM than in nevus of Ota following treatment. We investigated the differences in the development of PIH after treatment between ABNOM and nevus of Ota, and the histopathologic differences in the PIH. A total of 82 patients with ABNOM (n=47) and nevus of Ota (n=35) were treated with Q-switched alexandrite laser and followed up 2 weeks and 3 months later. Biopsies were performed on lesional skin before treatment. The distribution and the amount of melanin pigments were visualized with Fontana-Masson stain, and the distribution and the depth of melanocytes were measured by GP-100 (NK1-beteb) stain. Clinically, there was more erythema and PIH in ABNOM than in nevus of Ota. Histopathologically, intradermal melanocytes were clustered in groups and dispersed perivascularly in ABNOM, while melanocytes were scattered evenly throughout the dermis in nevus of Ota. Both groups show that when there is a statistically significant number of melanocytes in the perivascular area, erythema and PIH occur after laser therapy. In conclusion, indirect vessel injury in addition to perivascular clustering melanocytes might be considered the cause of increased PIH after treatment in ABNOM.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Comparative Study ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation/*pathology ; Laser Therapy, Low-Level ; Melanocytes/*chemistry/cytology ; Middle Aged ; *Nevus of Ota/pathology/therapy ; *Nevus, Pigmented/pathology/therapy ; Silver Nitrate ; *Skin Neoplasms/pathology/therapy ; Treatment Outcome