It’s Mnemonic Monday! Stains for Mast Cells
On this Mnemonic Monday, we challenge you to remember stains for Mast cells.
"GIMME TO YOUR LEDER"
Giemsa
Toluidine blue
Leder
Remember "rub me and take me to your Leder" as a mnemonic to remember that Leder stain still works after Darier's sign is induced (after de-granulation of mast cells). Side note: Not all stains are included here. Ex: tryptase and c-kit would also stain mast …
On this Mnemonic Monday, we challenge you to remember stains for Mast cells.
"GIMME TO YOUR LEDER"
Giemsa
Toluidine blue
Leder
Remember "rub me and take me to your Leder" as a mnemonic to remember that Leder stain still works after Darier's sign is induced (after de-granulation of mast cells). Side note: Not all stains are included here. Ex: tryptase and c-kit would also stain mast … Continue reading "It’s Mnemonic Monday! Stains for Mast Cells"
On this Mnemonic Monday, we challenge you to remember immunohistochemical markers for paget cells in Extramammary Paget’s Disease with the following mnemonic:
"EXTRA GROSS LOVE PASSES CANCER"
Extra- Extramammary Paget’s Disease
Gross- Gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 (GCDFP-15)
LOVE- Low molecular weight cytokeratins
PASses- Period acid-Schiff (PAS)
CANCER- CEA
The wo … 
On this Mnemonic Monday, we challenge you to remember the list of subepidermal and pauci-inflammatory disorders in dermatopathology:
Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT)
Epidermolysis bullousa acquisita (EBA)
Toxic epidermal necrolysis/Stevens-Johnson syndrome (TEN/SJS)
Bullous pemphigoid
Cicatricial pemphigoid
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Bullous lupus erythematosus (think “SLE”)
Linear IgA bu … 
A pregnant 33-year-old female presents with the shown painful lesions that appeared abruptly one week ago. She additionally has been febrile to 38.3C with malaise and headaches. What do you expect to find on biopsy of a representative lesion?
A. Perivascular neutrophils with fibrinoid necrosis and RBC extravasation
B. Apoptotic individual keratinocytes with intracellular spongiosis
… 
As recent dermatology residency graduates like myself are well aware, the landscape is set – we will be taking our boards in October. Admittedly, when the ABD (American Board of Dermatology) inquired about when residents would like to take the exam, I responded – “July, please”. But as an entity that must look out for the interests of everyone while navigating the challenges of this pand … 