Structural Organization of the Stratum Corneum in Certain Scaling Disorders of the Skin

Abstract

The structural organization of the stratum corneum in several scaling disorders of the skin has been studied in alkali swollen frozen sections with the light microscope, and in tape stripped specimens with the scanning electron microscope. In psoriasis, lichenification, and lamellar ichthyosis, which are characterized by high epidermal mitotic activity, the stratum corneum lacks the neatly stacked cellular arrangement typical of normal stratum corneum. In direct contrast the stratum corneum of patients with ichthyosis vulgaris appears nearly normal in this respect. Of the scaling disorders studied, ichthyosis vulgaris is also unique in having normal, or even subnormal epidermal mitotic activity. This suggests that the columned stacking pattern of the normal stratum corneum is incompatible with a high mitotic activity.