The morphologic changes in lamellar bodies and intercorneocyte lipids after tape stripping and occlusion with a water vapor-impermeable membrane

Abstract

It has been reported that artificial restoration of barrier function by a water vapor-impermeable membrane after tape stripping induces barrier abrogation in hairless mice, impeding rather than enhancing barrier recovery. To address this issue, we examined the morphologic changes in the epidermis after tape stripping and occlusion with a water vapor-impermeable membrane in murine skin. Male hairless mice were used for all studies of barrier perturbation and occlusion. Barrier disruption was achieved by repeated application of cellophane tape. Immediately after tape stripping the animals were wrapped in a tightly fitting water vapor-impermeable membrane. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was measured 20 min after tape stripping and 14, 24, 36, 48 and 60 h after occlusion. For electron microscopy the samples were treated with osmium tetroxide (OsO4) or ruthenium tetroxide (RuO4). When tape-stripped animals were wrapped in a water vapor-impermeable membrane, thereby preventing water flux, barrier function did not recover normally. These results demonstrate that an artificial block to TEWL with an impermeable membrane did not enhance barrier recovery. By electron microscopy many transitional cells and lacunae of various sizes were seen within the intercellular spaces of the stratum corneum after occlusion following tape stripping. Occlusion also caused alterations in both lipid lamellar membrane structures in the stratum corneum interstices and the lamellar bodies in the cytosol of granulocytes and transitional cells. Secreted lamellar body contents also appeared to be abnormal in the stratum corneum-stratum granulosum junction.

Characterization of Microchannels Created by Metal Microneedles: Formation and Closure

“…Occlusion in general has been known to delay barrier recovery (27)(28)(29)(30). Hence, when clubbed with microneedle technology, it can result in a prolonged therapeutic window.…”

Biophysical and morphological changes in the stratum corneum lipids induced by UVB irradiation

“…UVB radiation is known to damage the permeability barrier and to enhance percutaneous absorption [12][13][14], Haratake et al [12] demonstrated that the barrier alteration induced by UVB in hairless mice is both dose-and time-dependent, with a lagtime of over 48 h. This delay in the development of the barrier abnormality indicates that the UVB radiation-induced barrier abnormality displays important inherent differences from other models of barrier abrogation. Organic solvents, surfactants, and tape stripping cause an immediate barrier defect due to removal of extracellular lipids from the stratum corneum [19,20], but rather depends upon cellular or metabolic changes in underlying Changes of stratum corneum induced by UVB 33 skin layers that induce a pathogenic cascade that leads eventually to barrier disruption [12].…”

Formation and Closure of Microchannels in Skin Following Microporation

“…Therefore, even though pores remain open for a period of time, they might not have the same initial dimensions (depth and width), which may affect drug delivery of certain drug molecules. It has been reported that occlusion of disrupted barrier artificially restores barrier function but inhibits barrier recovery (32). Therefore, calcein imaging was also performed for a more direct visualization of pore closure when subjected to the different test conditions.…”