Clinical, light and electron microscopic features of recessive ichthyosis congenita type III.

The recessively inherited congenital ichthyoses have ultrastructural features which indicate abnormal epidermal lipid metabolism. The ultrastructural markers of the three recessive congenital ichthyosis groups are lipid droplets in horny layers (type I), cholesterol clefts (type II) and membrane structures (type III). We describe six patients from five families belonging to the last group. The variable clinical phenotype alone does not allow the delineation of this disease, but together with the ultrastructural characteristics the subtype is unequivocal. In addition to the membrane structures, half of the cases showed abnormal keratinosomes and vesicular complexes. Membrane-bound vacuoles and needle-like slits were exceptionally found. The onset of the ichthyosis was variable, in contrast to other patients described under the heading recessive congenital ichthyosis.