The discovery of mutations in the gene encoding SLURP-1 in Mal de Meleda (MdM) patients with a characteristic transgressive palmoplantar keratoderma (120) is drawing major research attention to the capacity of SLURP-1 to serve as an epithelial growth modulator (112, 118–122). The gene discussed is SLURP1; the disease is epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma, 1.