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Fluorescence microscopy and microspectrofluorimetry of malignant melanomas, naevi and normal melanocytes

Fluorescenzmikroskopie und Mikrospektrofluorimetrie der malignen Melanome, Naevi und normale Melanocyten

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Zusammenfassung

Die Zellen maligner Melanome, Grenznaevuszellen und normale Melanocyten zeigen in gefrier-getrockneten Gewebsschnitten eine durch Formaldehyd hervorgerufene Fluorescenz. Dieselbe Fluorescenz konnte dann nachgewiesen werden, wenn die Gewebsstücke normal Formol-fixiert und in Paraffin eingebettet waren. Mikrospektrofluorimetrische Untersuchungen zeigten, daß der Charakter der Fluorescenz in allen drei Zelltypen ähnlich ist mit einem Aktivierungs- und Emissionsmaximum bei ungefähr 440 und 490 nm. Durch Salzsäurebehandlung wurde das Aktivierungsmaximum nicht beeinflußt. Die fluorescenzmikroskopische Untersuchung formaldehydfixierter Gewebsschnitte wird als einfache, wertvolle diagnostische Methode vorgeschlagen.

Summary

The presence of formaldehyde-induced fluorescence in malignant melanoma cells, junctional naevus cells and normal melanocytes has been confirmed in freeze-dried material. It has been found that the same fluorescence can be observed in formalin-fixed “routine” paraffin sections. Microspectrofluorimetry showed that the characteristics of the fluorescence are similar in all 3 types of cells, with excitation and emission maxima at about 440 and 490 nm respectively. The fluorescence excitation maximum is not affected by hydrochloric acid. It is suggested that fluorescence microscopy of formalin fixed sections is a simple and valuable diagnostic method.

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Rost, F.W.D., Polak, J.M. Fluorescence microscopy and microspectrofluorimetry of malignant melanomas, naevi and normal melanocytes. Virchows Arch. Abt. A Path. Anat. 347, 321–326 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00542675

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