In situ cytokine analysis in human contact dermatitis : implications for a differentiation marker and an ex vivo human contact dermatitis model

Our skin is under constant environmental stress resulting from personal care (soap, cosmetics, clothes), home (plants, wood, vegetables), leisure (glues, photodevelopers, paints) and work. Although the skin is an efficient barrier and body protector a cutaneous disorder may be induced by many substances or conditions. The causes of skin injury can be classified in one of the following categories: chemical, mechanical, physical and biological. Within these categories chemical injuries constitute an important part. Toxic reactions to the skin from environmentally encountered substances may include ulcerations, pigmentary abnormalities, folliculitis with the development of acne-type lesions and neoplasms, but the skin disorder that most frequently occurs is contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is a common non-contagious inflammatory skin reaction elicited by an external factor. The group of contact dermatitis reactions includes allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis (acute/cumulative), phototoxic contact dermatitis and photoallergic contact dermatitis, and the immediate type of contact dermatitis (e.g. urticaria). This thesis will be limited to allergic and irritant contact dermatitis.

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