The "sins" of the fathers: self-healing squamous epithelioma in Scotland.

BACKGROUND

A review is presented of the recent progress made in mapping of the hereditary skin disease "Ferguson-Smith multiple self-healing squamous epithelioma."

METHODS

The use of founder effects in an autosomal dominant disease is reviewed as applied to gene mapping efforts.

RESULTS

A common haplotype among Scottish families segregating Ferguson-Smith disease allowed the narrowing of the candidate gene interval and the identification of several possible disease-associated genes.

CONCLUSION

The gene for Ferguson-Smith multiple self-healing squamous epithelioma lies in a narrow region on chromosome 9q, along with several other important hereditary skin disease loci.