Demonstration of initial lymphatics in excised human skin using an extension technique and dye injection.

Using a newly developed technique (extension technique) we succeeded in presenting dermal lymph vessel networks by subepidermal injection of an aqueous Berlin blue solution in excised human skin. Of 94 skin specimens taken from the safety margin of excised melanomas it was possible to demonstrate 32 networks and 14 single dermal lymph vessels. The networks can be documented by macroscopic photographs. Acetic fixation enables us to produce transparent preparations suitable for investigations with a stereo-microscope. The technique described here for macroscopically demonstrating dermal lymph vessels makes it possible to investigate systemically structural variations of lymph vessel networks in human skin.

Ultrastructural studies on the invasion of melanomas in initial lymphatics of human skin.

The way in which melanoma cells invade the initial lymphatics of the skin was investigated in this study. Samples of sixty melanomas were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Tumor cells invading lymph vessels were demonstrated in 20 specimens. In most cases the melanomas penetrated the subendothelial space as single cells. These fused with the endothelial cytoplasmic membrane and subsequently destroyed the endothelial wall.

Effects of cytokines on in vitro colony formation of primary human tumour specimens.

Although under study to alleviate chemotherapy-induced bone marrow toxicity, cytokines can stimulate in vitro growth of solid human tumour cell lines. The effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) on in vitro colony formation of primary human tumours was studied in a capillary soft-agar cloning system. Of 108 tumour specimens from 100 patients, 85 specimens were tested against all three factors at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1000 ng/ml. 44 of 100 tumours showed adequate growth in controls. 8 out of 43 (19%) specimens were significantly stimulated by GM-CSF, 6 of 40 (15%) by G-CSF and 10 of 44 (23%) by IL-3. Sensitivity to all three cytokines was observed in 4 of 44 (9%) specimens. By light microscopy the appearance of colonies from stimulated specimens was identical to that of controls. Sensitivity to cytokines was independent from sensitivity to epidermal growth factor, transferrin or insulin. Sensitivity to GM-CSF, G-CSF and IL-3 may be aberrantly expressed in a subgroup of solid human tumours.

[Autoallergic drug exanthemas]. / Autoallergische Arzneimittel-Exantheme.

A short discussion of known facts on iatrogenic autoallergic dermatoses of the pemphigus and lupus erythematosus type followed by the clinical, histological and immunological data of a subepidermal autoallergic bullous dermatosis in two children after anticonvulsive treatment with primidon.

The extension technique: a new method of demonstrating initial lymph vessels in excised human skin.

The initial lymph vessels, the lymph capillaries and precollectors, are difficult to detect in normal skin using routine histological methods. A method is described in which specimens of the skin are fixed in an expanded condition. In 1.05 microns thick plastic-embedded sections the dilated lymph vessels of the skin can be demonstrated. The dermal lymph vessel network can be seen following the subepidermal injection of a coloured solution. The endothelial cells and subendothelial fibrous network can be examined using electron microscopy.