With the hypothesis that there is a genetic basis underlying the susceptibility to develop AA, we initiated a search for susceptibility genes by performing a genome-wide scan in multiplex AA pedigrees. The genetic dissection of complex traits has traditionally been focused on large collections of small families (affected sib pairs, for example). But it has recently been shown that a small sample of larger pedigrees can potentially derive more robust results, because of a reduced level of genetic heterogeneity ("noise"), enrichment of genetic factors within families, and the availability of the pedigree structure (Terwilliger and Goring, 2000).

2 páginas. Resumen comunicación presentada en 4th Intercontinental Meeting of Hair Research Societies. Berlín, 17-19 junio, 2004.

Peer reviewed