• Home
• Products
  • UV Phototherapy
  • Derma 308
  • MED/MPD Tester
• Order
• FAQ
  • UV Phototherapy
  • Viedo
  • Instruction
  • Real stories
• Membership
• Contact
•  
• KERNEL
  • KERNEL Website
  • Colposcope
  • Photodynamic therapy
  • Patient monitor

Ultrastructural and cell surface changes of human psoriatic skin following Goeckerman therapy.

Lupulescu AP, Chadwick JM, Downham TF 2nd.

Abstract

Ultrastructural and cell surface studies of skin in psoriatic patients prior to and after Goeckerman therapy (crude 

coal tar and UVB-light) have demonstrated significant cellular changes following this treatment: hyperactivity of 

melanocytes with melanosome polymorphism, increase of desmosomes, tonofilaments, keratohyaline granules, a decrease 

in mitochondria, keratinosomes, polysomes, dark cells and a reduction in size of nuclei and nucleoli. The 

enlargement of intercellular spaces and the redundancy of basement membrane were also reduced. Langerhans cells 

were moderately decreased and exhibited a normal ultrastructural pattern. No significant changes in cutaneous nerve 

distribution or morphology were observed in these cases. Scanning electron microscopy following treatment revealed 

a regular surface and orientation of corneocytes, with flattened surfaces; and a reduction of their ridges on the 

surfaces, as well as of the intercellular spaces and red blood cells. These findings indicate that Goeckerman 

therapy restored the ultrastructural and cell surface pattern in the psoriatic skin by inducing 

orthokeratinogenesis, development of the tonofibrillar-desmosome system, and decrease in mitochondria, nuclei and 

nucleoli.

www.kerneluvb.com----The leader manufacturer of UVB Phototherapy.