Blaschko's lines
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Blaschko's lines, also called the Lines of Blaschko, are skin lines invisible under normal conditions. (See the picture of the lines in external links). They become apparent when some diseases of the skin or mucosa manifest themselves according to these patterns. They follow a "V" shape over the back, "S" shaped whorls over the chest, stomach, and sides, and wavy shapes on the head.[1]
The lines are believed to trace the migration of embryonic cells.[2][3] The stripes are a type of genetic mosaicism.[4] They do not correspond to nervous, muscular, or lymphatic systems. The lines can be observed in other animals such as cats and dogs.[5][6]
German dermatologist Alfred Blaschko is credited for the first demonstration of these lines in 1901.[7]
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[edit] Conditions distributed along Blaschko’s lines
The skin lesions that follow the Blaschko's lines are varied. They include genetic, congenital and acquired (i.e. non-genetic) conditions.[8] Examples include:
- Pigmentary disorders
- Naevus achromicus (including hypomelanosis of Ito)
- Epidermal Naevus
- Nevus sebaceous
- Inflammatory linear verrucous naevus
- X-linked genetic skin disorder
- Acquired inflammatory skin rashes
- Chimerism
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Brown, Philip M. (2002). Transcription. CRC Press. p. 38. http://books.google.com/books?id=MWdS56hbkbEC&pg=PA38&dq=%22blaschko%27s+lines%22.
- ^ Harper, John. Textbook of Pediatric Dermatology. p. 691. http://books.google.com/books?id=z0PEdterBCwC&pg=PA691&dq=%22blaschko%27s+lines%22year=2000.
- ^ Ruggieri, Martino (2008). Neurocutaneous Disorders: Phakomatoses & Hamartoneoplastic Syndromes. Springer. p. 569. http://books.google.com/books?id=b1NI28tR4hIC&pg=PA569&dq.
- ^ Roach, Ewell S. (2004). Neurocutaneous Disorders. Cambridge University Press. p. 98. http://books.google.com/books?id=-kEYmZs-csgC&pg=PA98&dq=%22blaschko%27s+lines%22.
- ^ Muller, George and Kirk, Robert (2001). Muller & Kirk's small animal dermatology. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 9. http://books.google.com/books?id=aK2XZdCiwdwC&pg=PA9&dq=%22blaschko%27s+lines%22.
- ^ Gross, Thelma Lee (2004). Veterinary Dermatopathology. p. 156. http://books.google.com/books?id=VKa2Wo3Wc-kC&pg=PA156&dq=%22blaschko%27s+lines%22.
- ^ Blaschko, Alfred (1901). Die Nervenverteilung in der Haut in ihre Beziehung zu den Erkrankungen der Haut.
- ^ Bolognia J L, Orlow S J, Gilick S G (1994). "Lines of Blaschko". Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 31(2): 157–190. doi:.
