{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T11:11:48Z","timestamp":1788952308783,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788912000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dermatopathology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Histologic submission and processing of nail unit specimens require special attention, primarily because of the contrast between the hard plate and the delicate matrix\/bed tissue. Adherence of the plate to the glass slide is particularly challenging, and a protocol is included to address this challenge. Loss of the often small, fragile matrix\/bed tissue can lead to absence of histopathologic features needed to make a definitive diagnosis. Of primary importance is the submission of matrix\/bed specimens, which are often small and fragmented on a paper template of a nail, which is then placed securely in a tissue cassette between sponges, thereby preserving tissue orientation and allowing for flat fixation for a minimum of 8 h. Immunostains and other special stains also differ somewhat from their use elsewhere on the skin, the details of which are presented.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/dermatopathology13030043","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T09:24:02Z","timestamp":1788945842000},"page":"43","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Nail Unit Specimens"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Curtis T.","family":"Thompson","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CTA Pathology, Beaverton, OR 97008, USA"},{"name":"Department of Dermatology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA"},{"name":"Departments of Dermatology and Pathology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1016\/j.det.2014.12.012","article-title":"How to Submit a Nail Specimen","volume":"33","author":"Reinig","year":"2015","journal-title":"Dermatol. Clin."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1367","DOI":"10.1016\/S0161-6420(81)34877-5","article-title":"Preparation of Ocular Specimens for Histopathologic Examination","volume":"88","author":"Torczynski","year":"1981","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1080\/01478885.2019.1642434","article-title":"Comparison of four softening agents used on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded nail biopsies with inflammatory disease","volume":"43","author":"Sharma","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Histotechnol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1111\/cup.12976","article-title":"An international survey about nail histology processing techniques","volume":"44","author":"Wlodek","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Cutan. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1001\/archderm.1973.01620170035010","article-title":"Softening techniques for nail biopsies","volume":"107","author":"Lewin","year":"1973","journal-title":"Arch. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1099\/jmm.0.079962-0","article-title":"Evaluation of a commercial PCR test for the diagnosis of dermatophyte nail infections","volume":"64","author":"Spiliopoulou","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Med. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"30","article-title":"The Evaluation of Usefulness of PAS Stain and GMS Stain as Clinical Diagnostic Methods of Tinea unguium","volume":"10","author":"Jeon","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Mycol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"222","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2016.02.1163","article-title":"Subungual debris cytopathology increases sensitivity of fungus detection in onychomycosis","volume":"75","author":"Jordan","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1067\/S0190-9622(03)01480-4","article-title":"Comparison of diagnostic methods in the evaluation of onychomycosis","volume":"49","author":"Weinberg","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"362","DOI":"10.1097\/00000372-199508000-00010","article-title":"Benzidine Stain for the Histochemical Detection of Hemoglobin in Splinter Hemorrhage (Subungual Hematoma) and Black Heel","volume":"17","author":"Hafner","year":"1995","journal-title":"Am. J. Dermatopathol."}],"container-title":["Dermatopathology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2296-3529\/13\/3\/43\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T10:21:29Z","timestamp":1788949289000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2296-3529\/13\/3\/43"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"references-count":10,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["dermatopathology13030043"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/dermatopathology13030043","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-3529"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-3529","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]}}}