[Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid]

The scarry ocular pemphigoid, is an autoimmune disease, belonging to the category of the acquired oculo-muco-cutaneous bullous dermatosis. The ocular symptoms, during the acute stage are conjunctival bullae, which evolve quickly into ulcerous lesions. During the chronic stage, the disease consists of a chronic scarry conjunctivitis, accompanied by corneal lesions, ocular dryness syndrome, disturbances of the palpebral statics and dynamics. The immunopathological mechanism, is represented by a type II hypersensitiveness reaction, in which the antigen-antibody-complement interaction, takes place at the level of the conjunctival epithelium basement membrane. We have reviewed the structures with antigenic potential: the antigen of the bullous pemphigoid-2, 5-6 laminin, beta 4 integrin. The participation of the immunoregulating cells (eosinocytes, mast cells, neutrocytes, macrophages) during the acute stage of the disease, is displayed. The key role of the activated fibroblasts, in producing the subepithelial fibrosis, during the chronic stage of the scarry ocular pemphigoid, is also underlined.