MAST CELLS IN SKIN LESIONS OF SARCOIDOSIS AND THEIR RELATION TO EPITHELOID CELL GRANULOMAS

Using metachromatic staining techniques and the Naphthol-AS-d-chloroacetate esterase test, the incidence of mast cells in skin lesions of sarcoidosis and their relation to epitheloid cell granulomas were investigated. Biopsies were taken of cutaneous lesions from 20 patients. The number of tissue mast cells was found to be increased at the periphery of the granulomas, and, somewhat less conspicuously, within perivascular round cell" infiltrates. Mast cells appeared especially in areas with a clear tendency to fibril formation. Our results support the idea that the "key function" of mast cells in neogenesis of connective tissue is also of importance for the beginning of scar formation during the healing of sarcoid granuloma. © 1969 Springer-Verlag."