effect of exposure to cold on epidermal permeability barrier in albino rat [light and electron microscope study]

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on 15 adult albino rats to determine the effect of cold exposure on epidermal permeability barrier. Rats were divided into two groups [a control group and an experimental group] and their soles were treated with topical acetone to disrupt epidermal barrier. The experimental group was subdivided into two subgroups [animals left in empty cages and animals subjected to a steady contact with ice]. The examination of both semithin and ultrathin sections showed that epidermis of soles of the control animals consisted of thick stratum corneum formed of very flat, heavily keratinized cells. After four hours, the acetone treated soles showed relatively paler stratum corneum in semithin sections and empty spaces between the horny cells in the ultrastructure examination. The animals whose soles were treated with acetone and left for four hours in contact with ice showed broken down stratum corneum in large areas in the semithin sections. Electron microscopy revealed abnormally empty or early empty vacuoles [disorganized lamellar bodies] in both stratum granulosum and stratum spinosum