Abstract: 【Abstract】 Objective To assess the value of culture of epidermal melanocyte from negative-pressure suction blisters in the auxiliary diagnosis of segmental vitiligo-like nevus depigmentosus. Methods Between June 2019 and March 2020, 8 patients with segmental vitiligo-like nevus depigmentosus, who met the Coupe′s clinical diagnostic criteria, were enrolled from Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third People′s Hospital. All patients were evaluated by the Wood′s lamp, reflectance confocal microscopy （RCM）, 308-nm excimer laser radiation, and in vitro culture of epidermal melanocytes from negative-pressure suction blisters. Results Among the 8 patients, fluorescence was observed in 6 under the Wood′s lamp, dermal papillary rings were incomplete or absent in 4 as shown by RCM, and 5 experienced no repigmentation after 308-nm excimer laser radiation. Among the 8 patients, in vitro cultured lesional melanocytes all were positive for ferrous sulfate staining, yellowish-white precipitates were obtained after digestion and centrifugation of the melanocytes, and stageⅠ－Ⅲ melanosomes were observed in the cytoplasm of melanocytes under the electron microscope; however, the precipitates were black in color after digestion and centrifugation of the melanocytes collected from the normal skin tissues at the contralateral anatomical site, and stageⅠ－Ⅳ melanosomes were seen in the cytoplasm of the melanocytes under the electron microscope. Conclusion Culture of epidermal melanocytes from negative-pressure suction blisters may facilitates the diagnosis of segmental vitiligo-like nevus depigmentosus.

Key words: Nevus, Hypopigmentation, Vitiligo, Diagnosis, Melanocytes, Primary cell culture, Nevus depigmentosus