S5C8P2-1: This lesion of systemic lupus erythematosus shows mild hyperkeratosis, slight hyperplasia of the superficial unit, and partial preservation of the basal unit. There are mild vacuolar changes at the dermal-epidermal interface. The papillary dermis is widened and relatively free of inflammatory cells with the exception of scattered migratory histiocytes at the basement membrane level. Collagen bundles of the reticular dermis are thin and widely spaced; this alteration may be evidence of a mucinosis. There are mild perivenular infiltrates in the upper portion of the reticular dermis. Melanophages are loosely spaced in the upper portion of the dermis.

S5C8P2-2: This is the classic interface reaction in a lesion of LE, particularly discoid lupus erythematosus. The acidophilic, coarsened basement membrane (blue arrows) is convoluted. To the left of the center of the field, the basal cells have lost their “basal cell” quality;  they are disorganized (they have lost their polarity). Melanophages have collected at the dermal-epidermal interface on the dermal side.

S5C8P2-3: In this example of LE, the basement membrane is not only coarsened and hyalinized, but also is reduplicated. Blue arrows identify multiple lamina.

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