Pathology
Images
Atlas of dermatopathology
Josef Feit, Hana Jedličková, Günter Burg, Luděk Matyska, Spasoje Radovanovic et al.
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+ Introduction
+ Literature
+ Support
+ Skin biopsy
+ Non-tumorous skin diseases
+ Skin tumors
+ Cysts of the skin and subcutis
+ Soft tissue lesions
+ Some lesions of the oral cavity
+ Dermatovenerology
+ Collection of histological slides by prof. Günter Burg
+ Collection of histological slides by prof. Werner Kempf
+ Collection of histological slides of dr. Ram Chandra Adhikari
Amyloidosis
Introduction

Eosinophilic material deposited subepidermally is found in macular amyloidosis and lichen amyloidosus; derived from epidermal keratin. Nodular amyloidosis is associated with immunoglobulin light chains, secondary amyloidosis with acute phase C protein from the serum.

Histology

Amyloidosis of the skin is characterised by accumulation of eosinophilic, amorphous material (optical microscopy) subepidermally, within the papillary dermis. Usually focal degeneration of keratinocytes in the basal layer is present as well (amyloid is formed by keratin filaments from apoptotic keratinocytes).

In macular amyloidosis the amount of amyloid is low and epidermal reaction is not prominent. In lichen amyloidosus there is hyperkeratosis and acanthosis.

In nodular amyloidosis the light chains of immunoglobulins are accumulated.

In systemic (secondary) amyloidosis the amyloid accumulates within the walls of blood vessels.

Special stains are used for amyloid staining: congo red (brick red in transmitted light, polarisation, fluorescence); thioflavins (fluorescence); in nodular amyloidosis antibodies against light chains may be positive.