Eccrine sweat glands associate with the human hair follicle within a defined compartment of dermal white adipose tissue.

BACKGROUND: Eccrine sweat glands (ESGs) are critical for thermoregulation and are involved in wound healing. ESGs have traditionally been considered as separate skin appendages without connection to the pilosebaceous unit (PSU). However, recent preliminary evidence has encouraged the hypothesis that the PSU and ESG are more interconnected than previously thought. OBJECTIVES: To re-evaluate the morphology of human skin adnexa with an integrated three-dimensional (3D) perspective in order to explore the possible interconnections that the PSU and the ESG may form. METHODS: A systematic 3D reconstruction method of skin sections, direct visualization of human scalp follicular unit transplant grafts and a scalp strip ex vivo were used to validate and further explore the hypothesis. RESULTS: We demonstrate that the coiled portion of most ESGs is morphologically integrated into the PSU of human scalp skin and forms a structural unit that is embedded into a specific, hair follicle-associated region of dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT). This newly recognized unit is easily accessible and experimentally tractable by organ culture of follicular units and can be visualized intravitally. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a model of functional human skin anatomy in which ESGs are closely associated with the PSU and the dWAT to form a common homeostatic tissue environment, which may best be encapsulated in the term 'adnexal skin unit'. The challenge now is to dissect how each component of this superstructure of human skin functionally cooperates with and influences the other under physiological conditions, during regeneration and repair and in selected skin diseases.

[Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy I and cataract]. / Osteodistrofia ereditara Albright I si cataracta.

The 26-year-old female patient presented Albright I hereditary osteodystrophy and zonular cataract, chronic tetany, hypothyroidism. The affection started since she was 3 year old. In the same family there are other 7 persons with hereditary osteodystrophy, from which one of the patient's brothers has Albright II syndrome. It is proved that the pseudoparathyroidism and the pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism are two clinical manifestations of the same affection. The cataract from Albright syndrome is determined by disturbances of the phosphocalcium metabolism and must be distinguished by other endocrine and congenital forms of cataract. The deficiency can be explained by a disturbance of renal function in the reabsorption of phosphates.

[The ocular manifestations in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome]. / Manifestari oculare în sindromul de imunodeficienta dobîndita.

The ocular manifestations in the infection with the human immunodeficiency virus are mentioned, among which the ischaemic retinal vasculopathy, the presence of dysoric nodules and the retinal vascularity. In addition, the presence of severe ocular manifestation caused by superinfections with cytomegalovirus, Toxoplasma gondii, Candida albicans and Treponema pallidum is reported. Lesions of the anterior pole and of the optic nerve are also described. The necessary prophylaxis and treatment measures are pointed out.

[Postrubella secondary pigmentary retinopathy]. / Retinopatie pigmentara secundara postrubeolica.

The paper presents the case of an 11 years-old child with secondary pigmentary retinopathy, atrial septal defect, facial dysmorphia with mandibular hypoplasia: all these malformations are part of the congenital rubeola syndrome. The patient has a twin brother presenting similar manifestations, but having a different expressivity.

[Unilateral congenital cataract, iridic hypoplasia and macular degenerative lesions]. / Cataracta congenitala unilaterala, hipoplazie iriana si leziuni degenerative maculare.

The present paper reports on the case of an 18-year-old man with congenital cataract and microphthalmos of the left eye, divergent strabismus and sursum vergens. Macular degenerative lesions were also present in the right eye, hypoplasia of the iris in both eyes and fixation nystagmus with equal jerks in both directions. The general physical examination showed congenital atrial septal defect. The morbid cardiac and ocular association plead for rubella embryopathy.