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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
10:31
Lymphocyte Isolation from Human Skin for Phenotypic Analysis and Ex Vivo Cell Culture
Published on: April 8, 2016
Origin of threshold behaviour in psoriatic skin
1Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Universiteit Antwerpen, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Dermatology (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 16, 2008
Summary
Psoriasis development involves positive feedback between skin cells and immune cells. This study suggests negative feedback creates a hysteresis effect, causing a catastrophic shift to a hyperplastic skin state.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Immunology
- Theoretical Biology
Background:
- Psoriatic morphology mechanisms remain unclear.
- Positive feedback loops between keratinocytes and immunocytes are implicated in lesion development.
- Negative regulatory controls maintaining psoriatic skin homeostasis are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a theoretical framework for understanding psoriasis pathogenesis.
- To investigate the role of feedback mechanisms in psoriatic skin changes.
- To interpret psoriasis as a critical phenomenon.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of feedback systems.
- Analysis of existing evidence on keratinocyte-immunocyte interactions.
- Conceptual framework development.
Main Results:
- The interplay of positive and negative feedback loops likely induces a hysteresis effect.
- Psoriasis can be viewed as a critical phenomenon.
- The condition represents a catastrophic shift from normal to hyperplastic skin.
Conclusions:
- Understanding feedback mechanisms is crucial for psoriasis research.
- Psoriasis pathogenesis may involve critical transitions in skin homeostasis.
- Further research into regulatory controls could reveal therapeutic targets.
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