Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026

05:58
Tissue Triage and Freezing for Models of Skeletal Muscle Disease
Published on: July 15, 2014
[Thomson-type congenital poikiloderma with major bone dysplasias]
Annales De Dermatologie Et De Venereologie
|January 1, 1984
Summary
This report details a rare case of Thomson type congenital poikiloderma, characterized by severe bone abnormalities and limb malformations, contrasting with minimal skin symptoms. The study reviews its classification within congenital poikilodermas.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Developmental Biology
- Dermatology
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Congenital poikilodermas are a group of rare genetic disorders characterized by a triad of skin atrophy, telangiectasias, and poikiloderma.
- Thomson type congenital poikiloderma is a rare subtype with distinct clinical features.
Observation:
- A single case presented with severe skeletal anomalies, including acroplasia of all extremities and agenesis of the tibia and radius.
- Facial dysmorphism was noted, alongside a surprising paucity of typical cutaneous symptoms.
- Key features like consanguinity, cataracts, and photosensitivity were absent in this case.
Findings:
- The case highlights significant bone dysplasias and limb malformations in Thomson type congenital poikiloderma.
- The presentation deviated from classic descriptions, emphasizing the variability within this rare condition.
- The authors reviewed the diagnostic criteria and classification of Thomson type within the spectrum of congenital poikilodermas.
Implications:
- This case expands the understanding of the phenotypic spectrum of Thomson type congenital poikiloderma.
- It underscores the importance of thorough skeletal and facial evaluation in diagnosing rare genodermatoses.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the genetic underpinnings and variability of this condition.
Related Concept Videos
Pleiotropy
Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...
Compact Bone
Most bones contain compact and spongy osseous tissue, but their distribution and concentration vary based on the bone's overall function.
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...
Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
Intramembranous ossification is one of the two processes involved in the development of bones within an embryo. The flat bones of the face, most of the cranial bones, and the clavicles are formed via this process. During intramembranous ossification, the bones develop directly from sheets of undifferentiated mesenchymal connective tissue.
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into...
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into...
Bone Disorders
Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone Remodeling and Repair
Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during bone...
Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification
Bone formation, or ossification, begins around the sixth to seventh week of embryonic development. Most bones develop from a cartilaginous template through the process of endochondral ossification. Cartilage formation begins when clusters of mesenchymal cells differentiate into chondrocytes. These chondrocytes proliferate rapidly and secrete an extracellular matrix that becomes encased in a membrane called the perichondrium. The resulting cartilage model provides a template that resembles the...

