Skip to main content
Log in

Stimulated mouse ear epidermis in explant culture —The effect of retinoic acid and hexadecane

  • Original Contributions
  • Published:
Archives of Dermatological Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Ear skin of adult mice was used as a source of explant cultures of epidermal cells and the requirements for growth were defined. Two growth phases were observed, the first more rapid than the second. All-trans-retinoic acid or n-hexadecane was applied topically for up to 9 days and the skin was then used for explant cultures. During both treatments the ear became red and swollen. The epidermis became hyperkeratotic or deprived of its horny layer. The thickness of the stratum Malpighii increased to up to nine layers, from the normal of two or three layers. The stratum granulosum became multilayered and keratohyalin granules were abundant. Explants of n-hexadecane-treated skin behaved exactly as their normal controls. All-trans-retinoic acid induced an increase in migratory cell activity during the first growth phase. In the second growth phase the growth rate was similar or lower than that of the controls.

Zusammenfassung

Die Haut der Ohren von erwachsenen Mäusen war Material für Explantatkulturen von epidermalen Zellen und der Darstellung der Proliferationskinetik. Zwei Phasen des Wachstums wurden beobachtet, die erste ging schneller als die letztere vonstatten. All-trans-Retinoid Säure oder n-Hexadecan wurde am Ohr bis zu 9 Tagen gepinselt, dann wurde die Haut für Kulturen verwandt. Unter dieser Behandlung blieb das Ohr rot und angeschwollen. Die Epidermis wurde hyperkeratotisch und Stratum Corneum wurde abgestoßen. Die Dicke des Stratum Malpighii vermehrte sich bis zu neun Schichten, die Kontrollen um zwei bis drei Schichten. Das Stratum granulosum wurde vielschichtig und das Keratohyalin nahm reichlich zu. Die Explantate der Haut die mit n-Hexadecan behandelt wurden wie die der Kontrollen. Allotrans-Retinoid Säure induzierte eine vermehrte Migration von Zellen innerhalb der ersten Phase des Wachstums. Der Grad des Wachstums in der zweiten Phase war ähnlich oder geringer im Verhältnis zu den Kontrollen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Born B (1971) The symptom-free skin in psoriasis. In: Farber EM, Cox AJ (eds) Psoriasis. Proceedings of the International Symposium. University Press, Stanford, pp 317–324

    Google Scholar 

  2. Brown WR, Habowsky JEJ (1979) Comparative ultrastructure and cytochemistry of epidermal responses to tape stripping, ethanol, and vitamin A acid in hairless mice. J Invest Dermatol 73:203–206

    Google Scholar 

  3. Christophers E, Braun-Falco O (1970) Mechanisms of parakeratosis. Br J Dermatol 82:268–275

    Google Scholar 

  4. Delescluse C, Prunieras M (1978) Homeostatic regulation of epidermal cells in culture. Bull Cancer 65:223–226

    Google Scholar 

  5. Flaxman BA, Harper RA (1975) In vitro analysis of the control of keratinocyte proliferation in human epidermis by physiologic and pharmacologic agents. J Invest Dermatol 65:52–59

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hammar H, Halprin K (1980) Epidermal cell growth. In: Marks R, Christophers E (eds) The epidermis in disease. MTP Press, Lancaster, England, pp 243–272

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hammar H, Halprin M (1981) The explant culture of pig skin after corneocyte layer stripping in vivo. J Invest Dermatol (submitted)

  8. Hammar H, Hammar L (1981) Growth induction in the mouse ear explant culture: Compounds known to affect histidine decarboxylase activity and the promotion found by pentagastrin. Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh) (submitted)

  9. Johannesson A, Hammar H (1980) The rate of formation of corneocyte layers after stripping the noninvolved psoriatic skin and its relation to parakeratosis and epidermal enzyme levels. J Invest Dermatol 74:226–229

    Google Scholar 

  10. Johannesson A, Hammar H (1981) The rate of corneocyte formation in microscopical lesions in patients with active psoriasis: description of a new method and the finding of a highly increased but pulsative rate. Br J Dermatol (in press)

  11. Pincus H (1951) Examination of the epidermis by the strip method. II. Biometric data on regeneration of the human epidermis. J Invest Dermatol 19:431–446

    Google Scholar 

  12. Reaven EP, Cox AJ (1968) Behaviour of adult human skin in organ culture. II. Effects of cellophane tape stripping, temperature, oxygen tension, pH, and serum. J Invest Dermatol 50:118–128

    Google Scholar 

  13. Snedecor GW (1956) Statistical methods, 5th ed. State College Press, Ames, Iowa, pp 158, 400–404

    Google Scholar 

  14. Voorhees JJ, Duell EA, Bass LJ, Powell JA, Harrell ER (1972) The cyclic AMP system in normal and psoriatic epidermis. J Invest Dermatol 59:114–120

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Supported by the Karolinska Institutet, the Finsen and E. O. and Edla Johansson Foundations, the Swedish Psoriasis Association and the Swedish Medical Research Council (12x-5665)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hammar, H. Stimulated mouse ear epidermis in explant culture —The effect of retinoic acid and hexadecane. Arch Dermatol Res 270, 469–481 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403792

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403792

Key words

Schlüsselwörter

Navigation