Three-dimensional reconstruction of endothelial cell gaps in psoriatic vessels and their morphologic identity with gaps produced by the intradermal injection of histamine.

ABSTRACT

Endothelial cell gaps in psoriatic vessels and histamine-induced gaps in forearm skin of normal controls were reconstructed in 3 dimensions by a computer graphics system. The gaps in psoriatic vessels were present within the cell, at the intercellular junction, or concurrently at both sites. Histamine-induced gaps were found at the intercellular junction or at both intracellular and intercellular locations. The gaps were linear to oval and often contained cytoplasmic processes from one of the endothelial cells, suggesting that gap formation represents a cellular injury rather than a purely physiologic reversible phenomenon.