Nucleolar organizer regions in melanocytic dysplasia and melanoma

Using silver (Ag) staining to demonstrate nucleolar organizer region-associated proteins (AgNORs), pigmented naevi exhibiting features of melanocytic dysplasia have been examined and compared with benign intradermal and compound naevi and with malignant melanomas. A highly significant difference was found between the numbers of AgNORs demonstrated in benign naevus cells and atypical melanocytes and in malignant melanocytes, suggesting that this technique may have a role in differentiating between difficult melanocytic lesions.