acantholysis

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The loosening, separation, or disassociation of individual prickle cells within the epithelium from their neighbor, often seen in conditions such as pemphigus vulgaris and keratosis follicularis.

Separation of individual prickle cells from their neighbors, as in keratosis follicularis.

Loss of cohesion between the epidermal cells, resulting in intraepidermal clefts, vesicles and bullae. Seen in inflammatory, viral and autoimmune skin diseases, particularly the pemphigus complex.

• a. bullosa — see epidermolysis bullosa.
• familial a. — a congenital disease of Aberdeen Angus calves characterized by ulceration of the oral mucosa and the skin over the distal limb joints and the coronet.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a breakdown of a cell layer in the epidermis (as in pemphigus)