Figure 7.

Schematic representation of the role of the ROCK/LIMK/p-cofilin pathway in controlling subcorneal cell compaction in normal and psoriatic epidermis. In normal epidermis LIMK1 is up-regulated in the subcorneal layers, thereby stimulating cell compaction by phosphorylating and inactivating cofilin. In psoriatic epidermis LIMK1 is not up-regulated and as a result cofilin is active. Cofilin activation leads to Stat3 phosphorylation and upregulation of Myc, thereby blocking cell compaction.