Mouse Models for Blistering Skin Disorders

Figure 2

Acantholysis in the interfollicular epidermis and mucous membranes of Dsc3 and Dsg3 null epithelia. (a) Acantholysis between the basal and first suprabasal layer in the back skin epidermis of newborn conditional Dsc3 null mice (Dsc3^fl/fl/K14-Cre). (b) Severe skin lesions of a 140 day-old Dsc3^fl/fl/K14-Cre mouse showing blistering in a healing wound. Note that these mice enter a cycle in which acantholysis triggers epithelial tongue formation and secondary blistering in the epithelium that covers the original wound. (c) Tongue section from a 25-day-old Dsg3 null mouse showing acantholysis and massive inflammation in the epithelium. (d) Vagina of a 6-month-old Dsg3 null mouse showing acantholysis in the deep epithelium (between basal and suprabasal layer). (e) Back skin of an adult wild type mouse. (f) Tongue histology of an adult wild type mouse. Stars indicate blister cavities.

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