General Pathology

Basic Principles
of Cellular and Organ
Pathology

Autogenous
Pigments

Jaroslava Dušková
Inst. Pathol. ,1st Med. Faculty, Charles Univ. Prague
Pigments
Definition:

colored substances
in the organism
or environment
 Pigments
Classification:
 endogenous
 autogenous
 hemoproteins derived

 exogenous
Autogenous Pigments
- color
substances formed in the
organism as metabolism products
 melanin
 ceroid
 lipofuscin
Melanin
 oculocutaneous
(origin from tyrosine in melanocytes)

 neuromelanin - subst. nigra

(origin from dopamin)
Melanin - types

 eumelanin – insoluble , brown-black

 phaeomelanin – soluble, yellow-red

(high sulphur content)

Melanin - production
Melanocytes
– derived from the neural crest
– present in the basal layer of epidermis,
dermis, hair folicles, mucose membranes,
uveal tract of the eye, meninges, inner ear
– secretory in the contact with the epithelial
cells - cytocrinia
Melanin Functions – 1.

 cytoprotective
– light absorption & conversion of the photon
energy into heat
– uvea – absorption of the light retina
protection of light overexposure
– retina - visual acuity preventing light
reflexion from the fundus
Melanin Functions -2.
 Ion exchanging capacity

Melanosomes can also act as detoxyfiing and

excretory components accumulating great number
of drugs and toxic component e.g. heavy metals.
Scavengers of the free radicals.

Rarely cytotoxic – photosensibilisation

Melanin - Features
 brown
 destained with H2O2
 reducing AgNO3
Disorders
of Melanin Pigmentation
Lack
 generalized  local
– total albinism – vitiligo
– parcial – leucoderma
albinism
Albinism

 autosomal recessive heredity

– tyrosinase deficiency

– tyrosinase positive – melanosomes defect

 oculo-cutaneous albinoidism – dominant

inheritance
Disorders
of Melanin Pigmentation
Lack
 generalized  local
– total albinism – vitiligo
– parcial – leucoderma
albinism
Vitiligo
 familial aggregation
 polygenic nature
 association with other
autoimmune diseases (DM,
thyroiditis, gastritis)
 ab against tyrosinase in the serum
 autoreact . T- cellular cytotoxicity
Disorders
of Melanin Pigmentation
Lack
 generalized  local
– total albinism – vitiligo
– parcial – leucoderma
albinism
Leucoderma
 postinflammatory
circumscribed depigmentation
e.g.
– leucoderma syphyliticum
– leucoderma psoriaticum
Disorders
of Melanin Pigmentation
Increase
 generalized  local
– Adison – freckles, nevi
disease – chloasma /melasma
– melanodermia
– melanoma
Disorders
of Melanin Pigmentation
Increase
 generalized  local
– Adison – freckles, nevi
disease – chloasma
– melanodermia
– melanoma
 Disorders of Phenylalanine
and Tyrosine Metabolism
1. Phenylalanine hydroxylase
PHENYLKETONURIA
2. Homogentisic acid oxydase
ALKAPTONURIA
3. Tyrosinase ALBINISM
 Disorders of Phenylalanine
and Tyrosine Metabolism
Phenylalanine 1 Tyrosine

3
Homogentisic
acid
DOPA

methyl–
acetoacetic Norepinephrine
Epinephrine MELANIN
acid
Ceroid
 features
– light brown
– PAS +
– acidoresistent
– Sudan +-
 origin
– fagocytosis od lipid substances by
macrophages
– oxidation of non–saturated lipid acids
Ceroid
 localisation
– places of erythrocytes destruction
– necroses of adipous tissue
– avitamonosis E
– melanosis coli
– Dubin - Johnson syndrome
Lipochrom

 ubiquitous pigment
 exogenous origin
 lipid solvent
 histologically unprovable
Lipofuscin
 features
– dark brown
– Sudan +-
– autofluorescence
Lipofuscin
origin
– autophagocytosis

"wear and tear" pigment

from the accumulation
of autophagolysosomes over time.
Lipofuscin
localisation

– CNS, epithels, muscles, liver

ATROPHIA FUSCA