Disrupted desmosomes in induced lesions of familial benign chronic pemphigus.

An occlusive dressing was applied to the unaffected skin of the back of a patient with familial benign chronic pemphigus (FBCP). Small lesions of FBCP appeared after 48 h, and the ultrastructure of successive biopsies was studied. It was concluded that: (a) the initial phenomenon in FBCP is the result of an insufficiency of cellular adhesion. This confirms several previous reports. (b) desmosomes are separated in two halves, invaginated in vacuoles and later deeply included in the cell. The particular fate of these disrupted desmosomes has already been observed after the action of several enzymes on the epidermis and in Darier's disease.