Biomaterial Database

Polarization microscopy of hair in acrodermatitis enteropathica. 1986

H Traupe, and R Happle, and H Gröbe, and H P Bertram

We studied the hair of a 10-month-old girl who was suffering from acrodermatitis enteropathica, using light and polarizing microscopy before and after institution of zinc therapy. The hair was very thin and brittle. On light microscopy the shafts showed uneven diameter and some displayed atypical trichorrhexis nodosa with stretched fractures. Ten percent of the hair fibers exhibited nodal swellings of the pseudomonilethrix type. Polarization microscopy disclosed in 70% of all hair shafts an irregular pattern of alternating dark and bright bands. This anomaly was still present in 10% of the hair shafts after one and one-half years of zinc therapy, but could no longer be detected after two years of zinc supplementation. Repeated determinations of hair probes before and after treatment gave a low cystine content, however, being still in the normal range. We assume that the observed changes and the low hair cystine content can be attributed to the underlying zinc deficiency.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008859	Microscopy, Polarization	Microscopy using polarized light in which phenomena due to the preferential orientation of optical properties with respect to the vibration plane of the polarized light are made visible and correlated parameters are made measurable.	Microscopy, Polarized Light,Polarization Microscopy,Light Microscopies, Polarized,Light Microscopy, Polarized,Microscopies, Polarization,Microscopies, Polarized Light,Polarization Microscopies,Polarized Light Microscopies,Polarized Light Microscopy
D003553	Cystine	A covalently linked dimeric nonessential amino acid formed by the oxidation of CYSTEINE. Two molecules of cysteine are joined together by a disulfide bridge to form cystine.	Copper Cystinate,L-Cystine,L Cystine
D005260	Female		Females
D006197	Hair	A filament-like structure consisting of a shaft which projects to the surface of the SKIN from a root which is softer than the shaft and lodges in the cavity of a HAIR FOLLICLE. It is found on most surfaces of the body.	Fetal Hair,Hair, Fetal,Lanugo,Fetal Hairs,Hairs,Hairs, Fetal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000169	Acrodermatitis	Inflammation involving the skin of the extremities, especially the hands and feet. Several forms are known, some idiopathic and some hereditary. The infantile form is called Gianotti-Crosti syndrome.	Gianotti-Crosti Syndrome,Infantile Papular Acrodermatitis,Acrodermatitis Papulosa Infantum,Acropapulo-Vesicular Syndrome,Erythemato-Vesiculo-Papulous Eruptive Syndrome,Papular Acrodermatitis of Childhood,Papulovesicular Acrolocated Syndrome,Acrodermatitides,Acrodermatitis Papulosa Infantums,Acropapulo Vesicular Syndrome,Acropapulo-Vesicular Syndromes,Childhood Papular Acrodermatitides,Childhood Papular Acrodermatitis,Erythemato Vesiculo Papulous Eruptive Syndrome,Erythemato-Vesiculo-Papulous Eruptive Syndromes,Gianotti Crosti Syndrome,Infantile Papular Acrodermatitides,Papular Acrodermatitides, Infantile,Papular Acrodermatitis, Infantile,Papulovesicular Acrolocated Syndromes,Syndrome, Acropapulo-Vesicular,Syndrome, Erythemato-Vesiculo-Papulous Eruptive,Syndrome, Gianotti-Crosti,Syndromes, Acropapulo-Vesicular,Syndromes, Erythemato-Vesiculo-Papulous Eruptive,Syndromes, Papulovesicular Acrolocated
D015032	Zinc	A metallic element of atomic number 30 and atomic weight 65.38. It is a necessary trace element in the diet, forming an essential part of many enzymes, and playing an important role in protein synthesis and in cell division. Zinc deficiency is associated with ANEMIA, short stature, HYPOGONADISM, impaired WOUND HEALING, and geophagia. It is known by the symbol Zn.