Vitiligo: The cellular level breakdown
What exactly happens at the cellular level with vitiligo? What is the exact sequence of events? The process inside the body when white marks are developing is often not understood and not given much attention. Here we attempt to provide the basic steps.
1. Cellular Stress : The Trigger The melanocytes experience oxidative stress which stops them from being able to clear out metabolic waste. The stress can come from various sources but some form of stress is necessary to start the process. Not being able to clear out metabolic waste then makes the cells damaged and overwhelmed.
2. False Alarm : The Signal To deal with the stress melanocytes release heat shock proteins(HSP70i) and chemokines(chemical messengers). The immune system misunderstands these signals as a major threat instead of a local issue and sounds a false alarm to wake up the bodies defences.
3. Targeted attack : The Destruction The adaptive immune system rushes to control the issue and goes on full attack mode. It sends T cells that target the melanocytes. Special white blood cells go straight to the skin and bind themselves to the melanocytes. Then they release destructive proteins that kill the pigment producing cells.
4. Memory : The reason why the white marks stay. The T cells then become “resident memory T cells” meaning they stay on the patch of skin ensuring any melanocytes that tries to re pigment will be attacked
For investigators it is absolutely necessary to be familiar with these steps in order to provide grounds for both speculation and experimentation. We go even deeper in our vitiligo education collection regarding each cell and its role in the vitiligo process
