Figure 5From: Transcription analysis in the MeLiM swine model identifies RACK1 as a potential marker of malignancy for human melanocytic proliferationCellular distribution of RACK1 in human cutaneous melanocytic proliferations. Confocal microscopy analysis of double labelling of RACK1 protein (green fluorescence), with MITF (red fluorescence). (A) Control human skin: an MITF-positive melanocyte is localised to the basal membrane. (B-D) Nevi: lentiginous proliferation in B, junctional nest of melanocytes in C, with an additional dermal component in D. (E, F) Cutaneous melanoma samples. Basal and suprabasal keratinocytes display a strong cytoplasmic RACK1 signal. RACK1 is almost not detected in normal melanocytes (A). This also holds true in hyperproliferative lesions of nevi (B-D). In some nevi, RACK1 heterogeneous expression is recognized in melanocytic cells (C). By contrast, in cutaneous melanoma, all MITF+ cells displayed a strong RACK1 signal (big arrow in E and F). Sections of skin are from 6 different patients. Arrowheads point to melanocytes where RACK1 is not detected. Arrows indicate melanocytes expressing cytoplasmic RACK1. Nuclear counterstaining is shown in blue in B. Dotted line indicates epidermis-dermis boundary. e, epidermis; d, dermis. Bar = 10 ÎĽm.Back to article page