Desmoglein 1 associations; a penguin in the bush

Desmoglein 1 is an antibody associated with several autoimmune and infectious causes of blistering diseases in dermatology. Because this subject is prime test fodder, I’ve created a quick visual mnemonic to solidify these:

• Pemphigus erythematosus (red penguin)

• Pemphigus foliaceus (penguin in foliage)

• Bullous impetigo (honey dripping from branches)

• Staph scalded skin syndrome; associated with exfoliative toxin which also acts on desmoglein 1. You can see here how a penguin might be “scalded” in direct sunlight as pictured here.

As for the main point of the illustration, desmoglein 1 is represented with a hat on the penguin. Read up on the Mnemonic major system for exactly how this works if you’re unfamiliar with how a “hat” signifies the number 1.