Basement membrane components and keratin in the dominantly inherited form of cylindroma

Abstract

Specific antibodies against basement membrane associated, connective tissue components: type IV and V collagens, laminin, fibronectin and heparan sulphate proteoglycan were used to study the basement membrane-like structures in cylindroma lesions. All these components were immunohistochemically demonstrated as a band surrounding islands of epithelial cells and all except fibronectin also inside the islands. Antibodies to keratin filaments stained most of the cells inside the epithelial islands confirming the epithelial origin of the cells.