Human malignant melanoma. Melanosomal polymorphism and the ultrastructural dopa reaction

An ultrastructural dopa reaction, with glutaraldehyde--formaldehyde prefixation, was carried out on ten specimens of malignant melanoma showing a wide variation in melanosomal morphology. All tumours, but only a minority of tumour cells, contained reaction product. In all tumours the reaction product was distributed similarly in the Golgi apparatus and Golgi associated endoplasmic reticulum (GERL). However, differences were noted in its deposition in melanosomes. Whereas vacuolar and lamellar profiles sometimes contained reaction product, it was not seen in normal, granular and abortive melanosomes. Tumour cells without melanosomes were also seen to contain reaction product.