Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is considered the most frequent autoimmune blistering disease with an incidence of about 1.5 to 2 per 100,000 inhabitants and year in the general population. The disease becomes even more frequent in the elderly. The clinical picture of BP includes tense blisters, formation of erythema, erosions, crusts and pruritus. The presence of […]
Autoimmune-mediated damage to the kidneys can be triggered by autoantibodies directed against renal proteins, as in the case of primary membranous nephropathy (MN) or Goodpasture syndrome, or may occur secondary as part of the wide-reaching effects of systemic autoimmune diseases such as vasculitis or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The detection of specific autoantibodies in patient
Bone metabolic diseases are a major health problem, causing bone fractures, skeletal pain and deformities. Bone tissue is a living tissue which is composed of cells (osteocytes) and a mineral extracellular matrix. This comprises mostly calcium phosphate in crystalline form (hydroxyapatite) that is incorporated into an organic protein matrix consisting largely of type I collagen.
The skin is considered the largest and most versatile organ of the human organism. It hinders pathogens and harmful substances from entering the body, protects our interior from mechanical injuries or hazardous radiation and prevents the body from loosing too much liquid or too many electrolytes. At the same time it regulates the body temperature,
Uromodulin is a kidney-specific glycoprotein, which is mainly secreted in the urine but also, in small amounts, into the bloodstream. Since it was discovered several years ago that mutations and certain polymorphisms in the uromodulin-coding gene (UMOD) are associated with various kidney disorders and kidney vitality, the protein has been increasingly researched. Today, uromodulin is
