Serological reagents for the immunohistochemical analysis of melanoma metastases in sentinel lymph nodes

For the immunohistochemical analysis of melanoma, various serological reagents are available. Melanocyte differentiation markers are reactive with cells and tumors of melanocytic lineage. HMB45 to gp100 has been the most commonly used melanocyte differentiation marker. Recently it was complemented by reagents such as antibodies to Melan-A/MART-1 and tyrosinase. Other reagents, whose reactivity is not strictly confined to melanocyte differentiation antigens, are also commonly used. Among them, the most prominent is S100. Other reagents are D5 to MITF or PNL-2. The properties of these reagents are presented, and their usefulness as markers in the setting of metastatic melanoma in sentinel lymph nodes is discussed.