title: Melanocyte halo explained.
abstract: Electron microscopic examination was performed of skin biopsy specimens processed for electron microscopy directly after formaldehyde fixation, after retrieval from paraffin blocks, and as for paraffin embedding but with retrieval after clearing with xylene, the last step before paraffin infiltration. The halos surrounding melanocytes in the epidermis are a retraction artifact that develops during paraffin infiltration of the tissue. It is proposed that this artifact is related to the high temperature of the paraffin bath.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tata
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Sidhu
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D006801:Humans; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D012867:Skin / Q000648:ultrastructure*