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. 1983 Mar;71(3):635–643. doi: 10.1172/JCI110810

Intermediate filaments in malignant melanomas. Identification and use as marker in surgical pathology.

F C Ramaekers, J J Puts, O Moesker, A Kant, G P Vooijs, P H Jap
PMCID: PMC436913  PMID: 6186693

Abstract

Intermediate-sized filaments have been studied in human malignant melanomas and in normal melanocytes by immunofluorescence microscopy with antibodies directed against keratin, vimentin, desmin, neurofilament protein, and glial filament protein. Both human melanotic and amelanotic tumor cells and tumor metastases as well as normal melanocytes in human skin and in the rat eye contain exclusively intermediate filaments of the vimentin type. No reaction was seen with antibodies to keratin, desmin, neurofilaments, or glial filaments. These latter four antisera, however, gave strong reactions in epidermis and other epithelial tissues, muscle, or neural tissues, respectively. The results favor a mesenchymal character of melanocytes, although a neuroectodermal origin in an early developmental stage is possible. The finding that melanomas contain exclusively vimentin intermediate filaments may prove useful in differential diagnosis of melanomas from other tumor types.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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