RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Occurence of vitiligo lesions is caused by the destruction of melanocytes in a ected skin and therefore by the re- duction of pigment melanin content. Questions remain about the presence of residual melanocytes in the depigmented skin and optimal methods of their identi cation. METHODS: Skin biopsy samples from 16 patients with non-segmental vitiligo and from 10 healthy volunteers were investigated for Melan-A (A103 clone)+ melanocytes expression by immunohistochemical analysis and for melanin by histochemical studies with section staining by Fontana-Masson method. RESULTS: For some patients including those with long-standing disease (up to 40 years) Melan-A+ cells and melanin granules were detected in depigmented skin as indication that the residual melanocytes are preserved in vitiligo lesions. More than three-fold decrease of Melan-A+ melanocytes amount was revealed in perilesional normally pigmented skin of vitiligo patients (P < 0.001) compared with the skin of healthy volunteers. Clinically intact skin involvement in the pathological process should be taken into consideration if local treatment methods are prescribed. CONCLUSION: In some vitiligo patients the residual melanocytes are preserved in depigmented skin. Melan-A marker is useful for identi cation of melanocytes in vitiligo patients' skin.
