Oxidative Injury in Dermatopathology

The object of this book is to summarize the known facts and current hypotheses about the biomedical significance of oxidative stress in dermatology. In an introduction, the physicochemical properties and production and target sites of reactive oxidants in the skin are discussed. The antioxidant systems of the skin are then described, and the participation of oxidants and antioxidants in basic pathophysiologicevents is analyzed. Finally, specific aspects of oxidative injury in selected skin diseases, pharmacology and toxicology are investigated. the book thus deals comprehensively with many areas of cutaneous biology andclinical dermatology from the perspective of a "free radical" scientist and physician, and should serve as a "cornerstone" in this rapidly changing areaof cutaneous biology research.

Dermatology is a complex and puzzling world of itching bumps, pim- ples, and rashes. The multitude of clinically distinct skin diseases, their frequently unresolved pathogenesis, and the exponentially in- creasing amount of scientific information add to the confusion about skin diseases. The great prevalence of skin diseases makes them an urgent priority for intensive research effort, and although many scientists and academic clinicians are vigorously trying to uncover we are only at the very brink of understanding the etiol- their secrets, ogy of most dermatoses. The principle mechanisms of general organ pathology (physical, chemical, microbial, ischemic, degenerative, and neoplastic disturb- ances) are believed to be relatively well understood. In contrast to skin pathomorphology, however little is known regarding the bio- chemistry and physiology of dermatoses. The difficulty in under- standing skin diseases may be overcome partially by finding biome- dical simplifications, and the concept of "oxidative injury in dermatopathology" is just such a simplification. It should, of course, always be kept in mind that no single mechanism alone can explain the pathogenesis of a disease and that there may be a danger of over- looking other important biological determinants.

This book will serve as a valuable source of information for cutaneous biologists, dermatologists, and biomedical scientists interested in free radicals and reactive oxygen species and their role in skin pathology. It covers all aspects of oxidative stress, including its importance in basic pathologic processes, as well as in skin diseases, dermatopharmacology and dermatotoxicology. A large data base of references is also provided.