Introduction to the Enzymatic Disease Model

Hoof wall growth originates at the coronary band. As new horn is produced the existing horn is "pushed" downward, eventually reaching the ground surface. The hoof wall is attached to the pedal bone by way of interdigitating dermal and epidermal laminae which in turn connect to the pedal bone via connective tissue. The dermal laminae and connective tissue are permanently attached to the pedal bone and are therefore stationary. The ever growing hoof wall and its affixed epidermal laminae must migrate downward past the stationary dermal laminae. The migration process is self regulated by specialized enzymes, enzyme activators and enzyme inhibitors produced locally within the hoof capsule. These substances interact to "disconnect" and "reconnect" the dermal/epidermal interface on a cellular level permitting only a few disconnections within a region so as not to weaken the overall hoof bone bond.

This self regulated migratory process can be disrupted by an imbalance in the concentration of any of these substances. An over abundance of activated enzyme may overwhelm the available inhibitors resulting in too many "disconnects" in a particular lamellar region. This circumstance may threaten the entire hoof bone bond. These substances are produced elsewhere in the body and can be made available to the lamellar tissues via the circulatory system. Both local and systemic events can contribute to the disruption of the hoof wall migratory process.