title: Epidermal kinetic alterations required to generate the psoriatic phenotype: a reappraisal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although there have been major advances in understanding immunopathogenesis of psoriasis, the basic processes causing psoriatic morphology remain to be identified.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our group has designed a systematic review of studies (1962-2009) on keratinocyte kinetics in psoriasis. We obtained data from MEDLINE, PubMed, Current Contents, reference lists and specialist textbooks. A general equation for evolution of the differentiated epidermis has been analysed. Necessary conditions for observed qualitative change in homeostasis between normal skin and established psoriatic lesions were determined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increase in the number of cell divisions (or imbalance in symmetric division rates of committed progenitor cells) and/or decrease in physiological apoptosis in the germinative compartment, together with feedback loops that limit thickening of the skin, are required to generate psoriatic morphology, that is, to increase the absolute size but decrease relative size of the differentiated cell compartment with respect to the germinative compartment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hôpital Universitaire Erasme, Brussels, Belgium. tsimonar@ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Simonart
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heenen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lejeune
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004817:Epidermis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010641:Phenotype; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology