Microscopic image of direct immunofluorescence using an anti-IgG antibody. The tissue is skin from a patient with<unk>  vulgaris. Note the intercellular IgG deposits in the epidermis and the early intraepidermal vesicle caused by acantholysis.<unk>  ( or ) is a rare group of blistering autoimmune diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes. The name is derived from the Greek root pemphix, meaning "pustule". In<unk> , autoantibodies form against desmoglein, which forms the "glue" that attaches adjacent epidermal cells via attachment points called desmosomes. When autoantibodies attack desmogleins, the cells become separated from each other and the epidermis becomes detached, a phenomenon called acantholysis. This causes blisters that slough off and turn into sores. In some cases, these blisters can cover a large area of the skin. Originally, the cause of this disease was unknown, and<unk> " was used to refer to any blistering disease of the skin and mucosa. In 1964, researchers found that the blood of patients with<unk>  contained antibodies to the layers of skin that separate to form the blisters. In 1971, an article investigating the autoimmune nature of this disease was published.
Pemphigus
Pellagra
Pemphigoid
Pemphigoid nodularis
Giant cell lichenoid dermatitis
Paraneoplastic pemphigus
Essential dermatitis
Drug-induced urticaria