Presence of Progesterone Receptors in the Granular Cell Layer of Epidermis: Immunohistochemical Localization of Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hormones influence various normal biological processes in the skin and hairs. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of estrogen receptors(ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) in the skin and to assess differences in sex and age. METHODS: We examined seven normal volunteers' skin. The mouse monoclonal antibodies against human ER and PR were used to identify the localization of ER and PR in the frozen tissue sections by using a standard two stage indirect immunoperoxidase technique. RESULTS: The granular layer of epidermis and infundibulum of hair follicle in all the samples showed strong positivity of PR. Although each skin section did not contain all skin appendages, most of the samples showed that eccrine gland duct, inner root sheath of hair follicle stained weakly positive of PR. ER was not demonstrate in all samples epidermis. CONCLUSION: PR was presented in the granular layer of epidermis, infundibulum of hair follicle, eccrine gland duct, and inner root sheath of hair follicle. Therefore, we might suspect that the progesterone probably contributes to the keratinization of the skin because these positively staining sites are prior to complete keratinization layers.