A 52-year-old woman presents with severe blistering over her buttocks. Analysis of her serum demonstrates the presence of antibodies which by imunohistochemical techniques stain material located at the basement membrane of the epidermis in a biopsy of her skin. The underlying biological mechanism of her skin disorder involves an abnormality in which of the following structures?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of antibodies staining the basement membrane suggests an autoimmune attack on hemidesmosomes, which are structures that anchor the epidermis to the basement membrane. This is characteristic of bullous pemphigoid, a condition involving hemidesmosomes.

A 52-Year-Old Woman Presents with Severe Blistering Over Her Buttocks