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How Common Is Pigmentary Mosaicism?-Reply

Seth J. Orlow, MD, PhD
[+] Author Affiliations

The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology and the Department of Pediatrics New York University School of Medicine 560 First Ave New York, NY 10016


Arch Dermatol. 1997;133(4):528-528. doi:10.1001/archderm.1997.03890400133023
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In reply  Pigmentary lines of demarcation are indeed a common phenomenon, especially evident in dark-skinned people, and the descriptions by Selmanowitz and Krivo referred to in Krivo's letter are classics in the field. There is no evidence, however, that these lines of demarcation represent genetic mosaicism even of the somatic type. That is to say, there is no reason to believe that there is a genetic difference between the cells on the dark, posterior side of a line of demarcation vs the light, anterior side. Indeed, the presence of a lighter ventrum is a common phenomenon in the animal kingdom, readily evident not only in darkly pigmented humans, but also in other mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Recent evidence suggests that these differences may be due to the normal function of genes that affect embryonic patterning, such as the product of the agouti locus.1 Since the lines of Blaschko presumably

REFERENCES

Millar SE, Miller MW, Stevens ME, Barsh GS.  Expression and transgenic studies of the mouse agouti gene provide insight into the mechanisms by which mammalian coat color patterns are generated . Development . 1995;;121:3223-3232.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

Millar SE, Miller MW, Stevens ME, Barsh GS.  Expression and transgenic studies of the mouse agouti gene provide insight into the mechanisms by which mammalian coat color patterns are generated . Development . 1995;;121:3223-3232.

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