title: Melanocyte-lymphocyte interaction in human graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: Pigmentary disorders in chronic human GvHD comprise reticular or diffuse hyper- and hypopigmentation and seem to result from an interaction between lymphocytes and melanocytes. This interaction could be visualized by standard microscopy with a specific staining for melanin. The main ultrastructural findings were, in hyperpigmented areas: broad contact between melanocytes and lymphocytes, numerous and packed melanosomes, presence of cytoplasmic lipid droplets; in hypopigmented areas: disintegrating melanocytes with large intercellular spaces, small melanosomes, numerous lipid droplets, vacuolated organelles, as well as condensed and convoluted nuclei. Different hypotheses to explain the dysfunction of melanocytes are presented.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D002450:Cell Communication; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins