The cytokine and chemokine network in psoriasis.

Creation and maintenance of psoriatic plaques require a multicellular conspiracy by which prepsoriatic skin becomes infiltrated by a variety of immunocytes triggering changes in the behavior of epidermal keratinocytes and endothelial cells. These complex cellular events require coordination in space and time to achieve the mature plaque. Key molecular coordinators dictating behavior and movement of cells within plaques include cytokines as well as chemokines. These mediators of inflammation play fundamentally important roles in the pathophysiology of psoriasis. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an updated review of cytokine and chemokine networks in psoriatic skin lesions.