Fig. 2.

Desmoglein compensation in pemphigus. The distribution and expression levels of Dsg1 and Dsg3 vary in the skin and mucous membrane (Dsg1: green pattern; Dsg3: yellow pattern). Desmoglein compensation theory clarifies the association between the site of blisters and the distribution pattern of autoantigens. Patients with pemphigus foliaceus, whose circulation only contain anti-Dsg3 1 antibodies, suffer from superficial blisters in the skin but there is no mucous membrane involvement. It may be due to the compensation effect of Dsg3. Patients with anti-Dsg 3 antibodies but without anti-Dsg 1 antibody usually do not suffer from a skin lesion, presenting with mucosal-dominant PV instead, while mucocutaneous PV patients present with deep-layer blisters in both skin and mucosa. . (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)