Abstract
The epidermis is a metabolically highly active organ where in addition to other substances important cytokines are formed which play a key role in many physiological and pathophysiological reactions. They are produced in the epidermis but influence not only keratinocytes but also other epidermal cells among which for immune reactions the Langerhans cells are most important.
The complexity of immune reactions anywhere in the organism greatly hampers research of this vitally important important function. The best experimental model is, however, allergic contact eczema and irritant reactions.
Experimental investigations of both provide and certainly will provide findings which will clarify in an important way immune cascades of all types and thus will have a substantial impact on knowledge of the pathogenesis and will make possible quite new approaches to treatment not only of allergic diseases but also viral diseases, and last not least, also new approaches to the treatment of malignant tumours. The authors make the reader familiar with the most recent findings, their own and published ones, from the sphere of immune dermal skin reactions in conjunction with the cells of Langerhans and cytokines.