Abstract
UV induced keratoacanthoma-like lesions in mice were studied grossly, light microscopically and electron microscopically. The tumours varied in their degree of cell organization and keratinization but all exhibited downward growth and had a continuous basement membrane. Ultrastructurally, the keratinocytes displayed villous distortion of their plasma membranes, and at times the basal lamina of the epidermal-dermal junction showed focal discontinuation.
The keratoacanthoma-like lesions in mice had similarities of appearance to keratoacanthoma in man but showed no regression and regularly progressed to squamous cell carcinoma. This clinical course is dissimilar to that of keratoacanthoma in man which suggests that the use of the term is inappropriate for these UV induced tumours. Moreover, in the context of our experimental system and a dynamic picture of tumour development where tumour types can be seen as stably arising and continuing entities or, a progressive sequence for which squamous cell carcinoma represents an end stage, it is not appropriate to view the keratoacanthoma-like lesion in mice as an entity distinct from the spectrum of UV induced tumours progressing from benignity to malignancy.