[Disordered keratinocyte differentiation in epidermal tumors and mycosis fungoides].

The immunocytochemical method with monoclonal antibodies to human and murine epidermis basal-cell antigen (BCAg) has been used in studies on the disorders in keratinocyte differentiation in epidermal tumors and mycosis fungoides. The fluorescence intensity augmented and BCAg distribution in the cytoplasm grew more diffuse as the degree of the tumor cell differentiation lowered. In mycosis fungoides the BCAg reaction has been positive first in the suprabasal layers; as the disease progressed, the fluorescence has involved the entire epidermis. The BCAg test is a sensitive tool for estimating the epidermal cell maturity in processes associated with impaired differentiation of keratinocytes.