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The Immune System: Structure, Function, and Roles in Skin Disease

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Skin Diseases in the Immunosuppressed

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Abstract

The skin is a complex defense system composed of both passive barriers and active immune responses mediated by specialized hematopoietic cells. Consequently, dysregulation of the immune system, namely, through increased or decreased activity of these cells, plays an important role in numerous diseases of the skin. In this chapter, we review the basic mechanisms of the immune system, the organization of defense in the skin, and the functions of the major immunologic effector cells (neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, mast cells, eosinophils, basophils, natural killer cells, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes). We specifically emphasize the relationship between cell activity and skin pathology and organize skin conditions by the cell type most responsible for the characteristic pathophysiology. By highlighting these broad themes, we aim to provide a unique framework for understanding dermatologic disease.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Raj Chovatiya M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Oscar R. Colegio M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Raj Chovatiya M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Oscar R. Colegio M.D., Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oscar R. Colegio M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Oscar R. Colegio

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Chovatiya, R., Colegio, O.R. (2018). The Immune System: Structure, Function, and Roles in Skin Disease. In: Colegio, O. (eds) Skin Diseases in the Immunosuppressed. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68790-2_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68790-2_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-68788-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-68790-2

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