The Strange Case of the Woman with a Breast on her Foot

[BurtWorm]

<Yes, that is a nipple. This is from PZ Myer's blog, Pharyngula>


http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/03/the_strange_case_of_the_woman.php


Category: Development • Weirdness
Posted on: March 13, 2007 2:00 PM, by PZ Myers
pseudomamma.jpg

Stevie C sent along this article on An unusual presentation of supernumerary breast tissue (just what were you googling for, Stevie?), in which a woman reports an annoying growth on her foot, and when examined, is discovered to have a breast growing there, complete with nipple and fatty tissue (but in this case, no glandular tissue).

It's in the Dermatology Online Journal, not the Onion.

I hadn't heard of this before myself, but it's fascinating. These supernumerary breasts can pop up all over the place, including the face, back, and thigh (and foot, obviously). They can be functionally complete, and can even lactate. The authors report some weak and sometimes contradicted associations with other oddities, but no causal mechanism is known. These cases of autonomous self-organization and recruitment of organs are extremely interesting—it suggests that a breast would be a fairly easy tissue to grow in a dish. I'd love to know what the molecular signal for initiating differentiation—I suspect it's something simple and common.

[skygazer]

1. And in medieval times could get a person burned at the stake

An extra nipple was considered proof that someone was a witch.

[underpants]

2. Dick Morris died and went to heaven

O8)

[BurtWorm]

4. The Strange Case of a Man with a Toe on His Tongue

:o

[LostinVA]

3. Someone needs to show this to sniffa

[Shakespeare]

5. !!

Yes, they do!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[LostinVA]

8. hehehehhehehe

[LeftyMom]

6. You are evil

I like that about you.

[LostinVA]

9. I like that about YOU, too

[Midlodemocrat]

10. BWAAHAHAHAH...... GMTA!!!!

[LostinVA]

12. hehehehe

[bicentennial_baby]

16. Again, he's really more of

an Ass man :D

[deucemagnet]

7. I wonder if someday breasts could be regrown after masectomies?

I should start writing a grant. :P

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. I've heard of a woman with a breast on top of her head.

And a dandruff problem.

I had no idea if the guy who told me that was pulling my chain. Hmm.

[BurtWorm]

13. I once had a breast on top of my,,,

never mind.

[NMMNG]

14. That would be quite interesting for the breast lover with a foot fetish

:evilgrin:

[Deep13]

15. Nevermind, #14 beat me to it.

[crim son]

17. "Just what were you googling for, Stevie?"

Really, the distribution of physical attributes is so unfair. Here I barely have the two standard breasts, and this woman has a completely superfluous one on the bottom of her foot. :(

[guitar man]

18. another foot massage??

sure honey, I love giving you foot massages :evilgrin:

[Hugin]

19. "She must toss in her sleep alot."

:smug:

[Spirochete]

20. Is she taller

when she gets excited, I wonder....

[LostinVA]

21. No, only when it's cold