[Immunologic aspects of phototherapy]

The article collates selected subjects from the recent progress in the photoimmunology. Experimental detection of percentage of apoptotic cells in the circulation and among keratinocytes residing in the skin can be applied for following treatment of conducted phototherapies. Considerable progress was made in recognition of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines governing of suppressive immune response as a result of light therapies. The shift towards suppressive lymphocytes by change of cytokine profile of T cells circulating in the peripheral blood seems to be the principal physiologic reaction. The circulation of cytokines in the serum and their engulfing by nonirradiated cells consists a part of an intricated network of immune response of the whole system.