[Fundamentals of histology]

Very commonly skin biopsies are crucial for the correct diagnosis of patients with skin diseases. The dermatopathology report is an important tool for communication between the clinical dermatologist and the dermatopathologist. This article explains the method of histopathological assessment of skin biopsies and summarizes the most important criteria for diagnosis of common skin diseases. The application of additional histochemical, immunohistochemical, and molecular biological methods is elucidated. The clinical dermatologist requires basic knowledge of dermatopathology to decide on the appropriate biopsy procedure. It also enables him to understand the dermatopathology report and to identify settings in which clinicopathological correlation is required.