Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Inner and Outer Aspects of Tiger Tail Hairs.

Background: Tiger tail hairs, Morse hairs or pili annulati is a nonsyndromic hair shaft disorder, characterized by alternating light and dark bands along the hair shaft.

Methods: The outer surface and the inner structure of longitudinally cut tiger tail hairs were examined with scanning electron microscopy.

Results: Hair specimens of five affected individuals showed small surface undulations with "curtain-like" folding of the hair cuticula (microcanaliculi).

Transmission electron microscopy of pili annulati.

Background: Little is known about the ultrastructure of pili annulati.

Objectives: To examine with transmission electron microscopy affected hairs of a family, whose diagnosis had been confirmed in five individuals with scanning electron microscopy, which showed surface undulations with "curtain-like" folding of the hair cuticula and to compare the findings with normal control.

Methods: Hairs of two affected patients and one control were embedded in resin and cut lengthwise to produce ultra-thin sections.

McCune-Albright syndrome - A case report with transmission electron microscopy.

McCune - Albright syndrome is a genetic disease with cutaneous mosaicism caused by post-zygotic activating mutations in GNAS locus, it has a triad of fibrous bone dysplasia, café-au-lait macules and precocious puberty. We examined a 22-year-old female patient with café au lait spot in right side of the abdomen, with a chessboard - like distribution, extending to right thigh with geographical contours, she has also an ovarian cyst, scoliosis and truncal obesity. Biopsies were taken from the hyperpigmented area and processed for light microscopy and for transmission electron microscopy.

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Subclinical Gefitinib-Induced Hair Changes.

Oral inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor may have a wide range of cutaneous manifestations. Hair manifestations are observed in 10%-20% of the patients. At the ultrastructural level erlotinib-induced hair changes were already described as acquired pili torti et canaliculi.

Light and electron microscopy of chlorpromazine-induced hyperpigmentation.

Chlorpromazine may induce abnormal skin hyperpigmentation in exposed areas, described as slate-gray, purple, or blue-grayish discoloration. A 58-year-old man with schizophrenia, had been taking chlorpromazine for 5 years, and his sun-exposed skin areas exhibited a blue-grayish color. Large deposits of brown pigment and granular basophilic material were seen in the dermis with light microscopy.