Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027960 (mole)
 21,279 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Disorders of pigmentation can result from either an abnormal number of melanocytes, as in nevus of Ota and vitiligo, or an abnormal amount of melanin production, as in albinism. Melanin-producing cells are found in the skin, mucous membranes, uveal tract, and retinal pigment epithelium of the eye and the stria vascularis of the inner ear. Thus, many of the hereditary or congenital pigmentary disorders of the skin are associated with similar pigmentary abnormalities in the eye, such as iris heterochromia or changes in pigmentation of the fundus; however, more commonly, the associated eye finding is a defect in ocular motility, i.e., strabismus and nystagmus, suggesting a concomitant defect in neurologic development. In albinos, the observed neurologic abnormality in the visual pathway and foveal hypoplasia are hypothesized to be related directly to the lack of melanin in the pigment epithelium during development. In acquired disorders of pigmentation, in particular, vitiligo, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, and onchocerciasis, there is a frequent association with uveitis, suggesting an inflammatory cause for the cutaneous pigmentary changes.
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PMID:Ocular manifestations of pigmentary disorders. 161 18

Oculocutaneous albinism, Menkes syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis type 1, dyskeratosis congenita, lentiginosis profusa syndrome, incontinentia pigmenti, and Waardenburg syndrome all are genodermatoses that have well established gene mutations affecting multiple biological pathways, including melanin synthesis, copper transport, cellular proliferation, telomerase function, apoptosis, and melanocyte biology. Onchocerciasis results from a systemic inflammatory response to a nematode infection. Hypomelanosis of Ito is caused by chromosomal mosaicism, which underlies its phenotypic heterogeneity. Incomplete migration of melanocytes to the epidermis and other organs is the underlying feature of nevus of Ota. Vogt-Koyangi-Harada and vitiligo have an autoimmune etiology; the former is associated with considerable multiorgan involvement, while the latter is predominantly skin-limited.
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PMID:Pigmentary disorders of the eyes and skin. 2570 35