Our knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of skin diseases characterized by abnormal growth is relatively limited. Even more important, still very little is known of how epidermopoeisis is controlled in normal epidermis. There is no cure for skin diseases caused by abnormal growth control, such as psoriasis. Mechanisms are complex, additional models for epidermal growth and differentiation, and specific techniques to analyze these processes, are needed. Therefore, we have developed flow cytometric techniques to study epidermal growth over the past two decades. A prerequisite for accurate and reliable flow cytometric analysis is a high quality of epidermal single-cell suspensions. In this chapter, protocols are described for preparation of single-cell suspensions and protocols for the multiparameter flow cytometric analysis of growth behavior in normal and hyperproliferative epidermis.
