[Cytoid bodies in the human skin].

Cytoid bodies represent roundish or polygonal, approximately cell-sized structures in histological sections. Such bodies have been reported to be of pathologic significance in several cutaneous disorders. Histological, immunological and electron microscopic investigations were performed in order to (1) characterize the different types of cytoid bodies in human skin, (2) elucidate their origin and nature and (3) determine their significance in cutaneous histopathology. A distinct identification of elastic globes, Russell bodies, Civatte bodies, amyloid bodies and cytoid fibrin bodies could be made. In addition, other substances such as nuclear or cytoplasmic debris, cytolytic fragments or basement membrane proliferations were found in form of cytoid aggregates in several dermatoses. However, none of the different groups of cytoid bodies was evaluated to be of pathognomonic significance for a specific disease. All of them are rather symptomatic for a number of anatomical or pathological principles and events in the dermo-epidermal junction area. Thus, the presence of cytoid bodies is not a major diagnostic aid in histopathology but may give valuable hints for a better interpretation of the morphogenesis of etiologically unrelated skin disorders.