Loss of Mpzl3 function causes various skin abnormalities and greatly reduced adipose depots.

The rough coat (rc) spontaneous mutation causes sebaceous gland (SG) hypertrophy, hair loss, and extracutaneous abnormalities including growth retardation. The rc mice have a missense mutation in the predicted Ig protein Myelin Protein Zero-Like 3 (Mpzl3). In this study, we generated Mpzl3 knockout mice to determine its functions in the skin.

Cross-section Trichometry: A Clinical Tool for Assessing the Progression and Treatment Response of Alopecia.

Background: To properly assess the progression and treatment response of alopecia, one must measure the changes in hair mass, which is influenced by both the density and diameter of hair. Unfortunately, a convenient device for hair mass evaluation had not been available to dermatologists until the recent introduction of the cross-section trichometer, which directly measures the cross-sectional area of an isolated bundle of hair.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the accuracy and sensitivity of the HairCheck(®) device, a commercial product derived from the original cross-section trichometer.