title: Immunohistochemical markers of melanocytic tumors.
abstract: While historically detection of premelanosomes by electron microscopic studies was the only means possible of confirming melanocytic lineage of a neoplastic process, advances in the field of immunohistochemistry have allowed for accurate and reliable diagnosis using antibodies to 1 of a number of melanocyte-restricted proteins. S-100 was the first such marker exploited by immunohistochemistry; subsequently, the HMB45 monoclonal antibody to gp100 became widely used as a sensitive and specific melanocytic marker. More recently, antibodies to other melanocytic proteins have become available, inciuding the MART-1 gene product and microphthalmia transcription factor. This article provides a brief overview of these markers in terms of their specificity and sensitivity and offers a discussion of tumors with partial melanocytic differentiation.
authors.affiliation: PhenoPath Laboratories, Seattle, Washington 98103, USA.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaziji
authors.forename: Allen M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gown
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000556:secondary; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins