Skin biopsy: an emerging method for small nerve fiber evaluation

Shon, Eun Hee

doi:2018.20.1.3

Ann Clin Neurophysiol > 2018 ;20(1) > Article

REVIEW

Ann Clin Neurophysiol. 2018; 20(1): 3-11.
Published online January 31, 2018.
doi: https://doi.org/10.14253/acn.2018.20.1.3

Skin biopsy: an emerging method for small nerve fiber evaluation

Eun Hee Shon

Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea

Corresponding Author: Eun Hee Shon ,Tel: +82-42-280-7882, Fax: +82-42-252-8654, Email: seh337@daum.net

Received December 26, 2017 Revised: December 28, 2017 Accepted December 28, 2017

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT

Skin biopsy and staining the specimens with immuno-reactive markers has been proven to be a useful method to demonstrate the pathologic status of small nerve fibers. Quantification of intraepidermal nerve fiber density using anti-protein gene product 9.5 antibody is a standard method to diagnose small fiber neuropathy. Skin biopsy also makes it possible to differentiate the nerve fibers according to their function by using different markers. Quantification of dermal structures with different types of nerve fibers could reveal the pathophysiologic mechanism of the disease state.

Key words: Skin, Biopsy; Small fiber neuropathy; Epidermis, Nerve fiber