Microscopic analysis of epidermal melanocytes in human abdominal skin.
OBJECTIVE
Microscopic analysis of epidermal melanocytes in human abdominal skin with respect to age and sex.


METHODS
Cross sectional study.


METHODS
Department of Anatomy. BMSI, JPMC, Karachi. About one year in 1998.


METHODS
Demonstration of epidermal melanocytes in 5mm thick vertical paraffin embedded sections of thirty-eight skin samples from different age and sex groups, using dihydroxyphenyl alanine (Dopa) reagent.


RESULTS
The melanocytes count per unit area of skin was significantly higher in the younger than older age groups. No significant difference was noticed between males and females epidermal melanocytes counts.


CONCLUSIONS
Distribution of epidermal melanocytes was inversely proportional to the advancing age. However, there was no significant gender differences in the distribution of epidermal melanocytes.
Muhammad
Muhammad Ilyas Saleh
MI
Department of Anatomy, Dow Medical College, Karachi.
Janjua
Muhammad Zahoor
MZ
D000005:Abdomen; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002452:Cell Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010154:Pakistan; D010784:Photomicrography / Q000379:methods; D012737:Sex Factors