• All IHC stains will include a positive control tissue

• Expresses virtually all nevi with an exception of neurotized melanocytes with prominent Schwannian differentiation
• Stains all melanomas with epithelioid or mixed spindle and epithelioid type
• Is more sensitive than HMB45 in identifying desmoplastic melanoma and less sensitive than S100 (Melan-A may stain <50% of cells in desmoplastic melanomas)
• Can detect a small number of HMB45 negative metastatic melanomas and a rare case of S100 negative metastatic melanoma. In one study of 75 metastatic melanomas, 81% were reactive with Melan-A and 75% with HMB45. 85% of cases stained for one or both antibodies
• Proved to be a useful adjuvant to the HMB45/S100/Cytokeratin panel for the diagnosis of malignant melanomas in the cytological effusions
• Melan-A also has been reported to stain steroid producing cells of the ovary, testes and adrenal cortex

Submit a formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue

Formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue block

FFPE tissue section mounted on a charged, unstained slide

Ambient (preferred)

• Unlabeled/mislabeled block
• Insufficient tissue
• Slides broken beyond repair

Immunohistochemical staining and microscopic examination

If requested, an interpretive report will be provided

Specifications

• Is a transmembrane protein composed of 118 amino acids

Staining pattern

• Cytoplasmic granular staining. The staining pattern strong in epithelioid melanocytes