title: The ACVD task force on canine atopic dermatitis (XVIII): histopathology of skin lesions.
abstract: For years, the histopathology of skin lesions of canine atopic dermatitis was deemed non-specific for this diagnosis. However, more recent studies have established that canine atopic skin lesions exhibit an inflammatory pattern characterized as a chronic, hyperplastic and spongiotic, mixed perivascular dermatitis. The nature of epidermal and dermal inflammatory cell infiltrates has now been characterized using modern immunological techniques. Epitheliotropic cells include Langerhans' cells, T-lymphocytes and rare eosinophils. Dermal cells are composed of mast cells, dermal antigen-presenting cells, T-lymphocytes and occasional intact and degranulated eosinophils. This paper provides an historical review of the landmark papers that have elucidated the pathology of canine atopic dermatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA. thierry_olivry@ncsu.edu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olivry
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States