Microscopic analysis of epidermal melanocytes in human abdominal skin

ABSTRACT

Microscopic analysis of epidermal melanocytes in human abdominal skin with respect to age and sex. Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study Department of Anatomy. BMSI, JPMC, Karachi. About one year in 1998. Subjects and Demonstration of epidermal melanocytes in 5mm thick vertical paraffin embedded sections of thirty-eight skin samples from different age and sex groups, using dihydroxyphenyl alanine [Dopa] reagent. The melanocytes count per unit area of skin was significantly higher in the younger than older age groups. No significant difference was noticed between males and females epidermal melanocytes counts. Distribution of epidermal melanocytes was inversely proportional to the advancing age. However, there was no significant gender differences in the distribution of epidermal melanocytes