This volume is evenly divided into sections illustrating the ultrastructure of normal skin, as well as the clinical applications of diagnostic electron microscopy. The purpose of the book is twofold: to assist the reader in interpretation of ultrastructural data in scientific literature, and to acquaint the reader with potential applications of diagnostic electron microscopy to clinical dermatologic disease.
The first section on normal ultrastructure contains a number of instructive micrographs, although there exists a slight imbalance in treatment of certain structures and cells. For example, although cutaneous nerves are illustrated, there are no figures primarily depicting normal ultrastructural appearance of dermal collagen fibers and elastic fibers.
The section on clinical applications contains a number of illustrations that are highly variable in their quality of reproduction. Many of the disorders depicted, such as histiocytosis X, certain viral lesions, epidermolysis bullosa, and amelanotic melanoma, have characteristic ultrastructural findings. On the other hand,