ULTRASTRUCTURAL LOCALIZATION OF PEMPHIGUS ANTIBODIES WITHIN THE EPIDERMIS

Ultrastructural localization of pemphigus autoantibodies has been studied, using the periodatelysine-paraformaldehyde fixation method of McLean et al. The deposition of pemphigus autoantibodies was always found in the intercellular spaces of the epidermis, but not observed between the basal surface of basal cells and the basal lamina. Within desmosomes, a linear deposition of antibodies was also found, coresponding to the intermediate dense layer of Odland.