In recent years the interaction between tumour cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix in the process of tumour development, invasion and metastasis has been a focus of interest. We studied frozen sections of nine naevocellular naevi (junctional, compound and intradermal), 40 dysplastic naevi, six pagetoid in situ melanomas and 12 superficial spreading melanomas in order to determine the expression of: the basement membrane proteins collagen type IV and laminin, the interstitial collagen types I, III and VI, and fibronectin and tenascin. An indirect immunoperoxidase technique was used. In the various stages of melanocytic tumour progression we observed: 1 loss of type IV collagen and laminin within dermal melanocytic cell nests; 2 de novo expression of basement membrane type IV collagen and increased expression of the interstitial collagen types I, III and VI, as well as tenascin and fibronectin in the dermal stroma surrounding dysplastic naevus cells and melanoma cells; 3 presence of extracellular matrix components in close association with intra-epidermally located invading atypical melanocytes. These data demonstrate the complex alterations of the composition of the extracellular matrix from bland naevi through lesions with progressive atypia to invasive melanoma. The changes described result in a molecular environment which melanocytes with an altered adhesion molecule profile are able to invade.