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SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF THE STRATUM CORNEUM
Author(s) -
DAWBER RODNEY P. R.,
MARKS RONALD,
SWIFt J. ALAN
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb02228.x
Subject(s) - stratum corneum , corneocyte , ichthyosis , scanning electron microscope , pathology , electron microscope , dyskeratosis , epidermis (zoology) , dermatology , anatomy , chemistry , medicine , materials science , hyperkeratosis , optics , physics , composite material
Summary.— This report describes studies of stratum corneum from normal subjects and from patients with various scaly disorders, with the scanning electron microscope, using the skin surface biopsy technique. Normnal squamous cells showed essentially the same structure in different parts of the body; individual squames demonstrated irregular surface folds, convolutions and occasionally a more villous appearance. In dominant ichthyosis vulgaris the squamous cells showed predominantly an irregular fine nodular surface pattern. Similar changes were found in non‐bullous ichthyosiform erythroderma. Surface depressions (maxitnum diameter approximately 300 nm) were occasionally seen on squames from bullous ichthyosiform erythroderma. Psoriatic squamous cells showed a more pronounced villous pattern than normal squames, the villi being evenly distributed over the surface of the majority of cells examined; some cells had rather flattened villi near their edges. Possible physiological roles for the structural changes found are discussed.