Inflammatory Skin Diseases, T Cells, and Immune Surveillance

Skin is the primary interface between the body and the environment. The spectrum of insults to which skin is susceptible includes disorders caused by chemical and microbial agents, thermal and electromagnetic radiation, and mechanical trauma. The most damaging consequence of the disruption of skin is invasion by pathogenic microorganisms, and the need for an effective means of protection against this challenge has been a fundamental force behind the evolution of the immune system. The translation of insults into cutaneous inflammation (innate immunity) and the recruitment of memory T lymphocytes that have clonally expanded in response to antigens encountered at the . . .