title: Molecular diagnosis of cutaneous diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an update on the molecular procedures used increasingly in the study and diagnosis of a variety of dermatologic malignancies and inflammatory disorders and to explore the potential use of these techniques in clinical dermatology. Herein, we review assays such as G-banding, fluorescence in situ hybridization, comparative genomic hybridization, and spectral karyotyping in conjunction with the polymerase chain reaction and DNA microarrays.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed was searched for published articles on molecular diagnosis and dermatologic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  All English-language studies were selected if they provided useful methodologic information or highlighted the usefulness of molecular techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Only methodologic and qualitative information was extracted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The information was synthesized into 2 sections: one describing the principles of different molecular diagnostic techniques, and the other highlighting the contributions of molecular diagnostic techniques to the understanding and diagnosis of several dermatologic diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A basic understanding of the principles of molecular diagnostic techniques is crucial for the practicing dermatologist to benefit from the increasing number of molecular diagnostic articles appearing in the literature and potentially to apply these methods in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Studies, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Karan K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sra
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babb-Tarbox
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aboutalebi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rady
authors.forename: Gregory L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Shipley
authors.forename: Dat D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Dao
authors.forename: Stephen K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tyring
mesh_terms: D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics