A, HMW-MAA mRNA expression in melanoma cell lines. HMW-MAA mRNA expression was designated as relative mRNA copies (absolute mRNA copies of HMW-MAA/absolute mRNA copies of GAPDH). B, HMW-MAA mRNA expression in nodal macrometastases and micrometastases. HMW-MAA mRNA expression was designated as relative mRNA copies (absolute mRNA copies of HMW-MAA/absolute mRNA copies of GAPDH). Dotted bars, mean copy numbers. The cutoff for HMW-MAA positivity was 2.95 × 10−2, corresponding to the mean relative HMW-MAA copy number plus1SD in tumor-negative nodes. C, MART-1mRNA expression in macrometastases, micrometastases, and tumor-free nodes. MART-1mRNA expression was designated as relative mRNA copies (absolute mRNA copies of MART-1/absolute mRNA copies of GAPDH). Dotted bars, mean copy numbers.