Final answer:
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition characterized by the rapid turnover of skin cells leading to red, itchy patches with silvery scales called plaques. Plaques are raised, inflamed areas of skin with white scale caused by abnormal cell turnover due to cytokine activation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease characterized by the rapid growth and turnover of skin cells resulting in thick, red, and itchy patches with silvery scales. These patches, commonly found on elbows, knees, scalp, and other body parts, are known as plaques. Plaques in psoriasis are defined as raised areas of inflamed skin covered with silvery white scale.
The condition may also be associated with psoriatic arthritis, where the joints become inflamed. The abnormal cell turnover in psoriasis, which typically takes a few days instead of a month, is due to cytokine activation that affects keratinocytes, dendritic cells, and T cells.Plaques specifically refer to the thick, inflamed, and scaly patches of skin that are symptomatic of psoriasis. The fast cell turnover causes an accumulation of skin cells on the surface, leading to these characteristic plaques.