Exfoliatin is a Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccal bacterium. It is frequently found as part of the normal skin flora on the skin and nasal passages. It is estimated that 20% of the human population are long-term carriers of S. aureus. S. aureus is the most common species of...

 exotoxin

Exotoxin

An exotoxin is a toxin excreted by a microorganism, like bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa. An exotoxin can cause damage to the host by destroying cells or disrupting normal cellular metabolism. They are highly potent and can cause major damage to the host...

 that causes a blistering of the skin known as staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome, SSSS, also known as Pemphigus neonatorum or Ritter's disease, or Localized bullous impetigo is a dermatological condition caused by Staphylococcus aureus.-Pathophysiology:...

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Exfoliatins are glutamate-specific serine proteases highly specific to the cadherin

Cadherin

Cadherins are a class of type-1 transmembrane proteins. They play important roles in cell adhesion, ensuring that cells within tissues are bound together. They are dependent on calcium ions to function, hence their name.The cadherin superfamily includes cadherins, protocadherins, desmogleins, and...

 desmoglein

Desmoglein

The desmogleins are a family of cadherins consisting of proteins DSG1, DSG2, DSG3, and DSG4. They play a role in the formation of desmosomes that join cells to one another....

 I, an adhesion protein in the desmosomes of the stratum granulosum that facilitates intracelluar adhesion between keratinocytes. The resulting vesicles are an intraepidermal clefts between the stratum corneum

Stratum corneum

The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis, consisting of dead cells that lack nuclei and organelles. The purpose of the stratum corneum is to form a barrier to protect underlying tissue from infection, dehydration, chemicals and mechanical stress...

 and stratum spinosum

Stratum spinosum

The stratum spinosum is a layer of the epidermis found between the stratum granulosum and stratum basale. This layer is also referred to as the "spinous" or "prickle-cell" layer. This appearance is due to desmosomal connections of adjacent cells. Keratinization begins in the stratum spinosum....

 and is located above the basal cells (suprabasal). A very similar non-infectious condition is seen in the autoimmune skin disorder pemphigus vulgaris

Pemphigus vulgaris

Pemphigus vulgaris is a chronic blistering skin disease with skin lesions that are rarely pruritic, but which are often painful.-Pathophysiology:...

 in which there is an IgG antibody against the cadherin desmoglein

Desmoglein

The desmogleins are a family of cadherins consisting of proteins DSG1, DSG2, DSG3, and DSG4. They play a role in the formation of desmosomes that join cells to one another....

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