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The key role of corneocytes in pityrosporoses.

Piérard GE, Xhauflaire-Uhoda E, Piérard-Franchimont C

Department of Dermatopathology, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium. gerald.pierard@ulg.ac.be

Pityrosporoses encompass various Malassezia-driven conditions. Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis are members of this family of disorders. Their precise pathomechanisms have not been completely elucidated so far. This review focuses on the role of corneocytes in these disorders. Malassezia yeasts are not evenly distributed at the surface of the stratum corneum. Rather, they are clumped on some corneocytes while other corneocytes in their vicinity are almost free of these microorganisms. The corneocytes heavily coated by yeasts suggest a cell-related defect in the mechanisms controlling the skin biocene including the natural antimicrobial peptides and nitric oxide. Most environmental factors influencing pityrosporoses indeed affect the natural human defenses against certain microorganisms. We frame as a hypothesis that the primary defect in some Malassezia-driven disorders resides in the corneocytes and their precursor keratinocytes.

Published 1 December 2005 in Dermatology, 212(1): 23-6.
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