F2Ch34a: The close spacing of the epithelial components of molluscum among immature follicles, that are not visibly infected, might be offered as evidence that the initial effect of the virus infection is the induction of follicular neogenesis. In the progress of the disease, the virus preferentially seeks out developing sebaceous glands and may even promote their induction from the primitive basal cell bud. The neogenic follicles, and the virus infection have an influence on the nature of the reactive stroma; the stroma often is delicately watery or myxoid as in this field. In inflamed lesions of molluscum - late in the evolution of such lesions, after the epithelial components have been destroyed or eliminated by the process of sequestration - this stromal response offers a clue to the histopathologist as to what the original lesion may have been.
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