Proteolytic degradation of desmosomes in plantar stratum corneum leads to cell dissociation in vitro.

Pieces of plantar stratum corneum were incubated with trypsin. This resulted in cell dissociation. The only observable ultrastructural change caused by trypsin was a degradation of desmosomal plates between dissociating cells. This suggests that desmosomes are of primary importance in plantar stratum corneum cell adhesion.