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Cellular dynamics of comedo formation in acne vulgaris

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Summary

Epithelial turnover was compared on the faces and backs of normal and acne subjects using autoradiographs prepared after intra-dermal injection of tritiated thymidine, glycine and histidine. The percentage of thymidine labelled nuclei in the epidermis, sebaceous follicles and open and closed comedones was determined. The movement of glycine or histidine labelled horny cells into comedones was followed.

No differences in cellular kinetics were found between acne and non-acne subjects. Turnover of the facial epidermis was almost twice as fast as of the back epidermis. Follicle labelling was similar to the contiguous epidermis.

The labelling index of the comedo was much greater than in the normal sebaceous follicle. Cellular multiplication was faster in closed than in open comedones.

Labelled horny cells moved in an elliptical band into the substance of the open comedo. Labelled cells eventually sloughed through the patulous orifice. This did not happen in closed comedones up to the maximum time of observation (2 months).

Comedo formation is the resultant of two abnormalities: 1. increased formation of horny cells and 2. increased coherence.

Zusammenfassung

Autoradiographische Untersuchungen mit3H-Thymidin,3H-Glycin und3H-Histidin wurden durchgeführt, um die epidermale Regeneration der Gesichts- und Rückenhaut bei Acnepatienten und Kontrollpersonen zu bestimmen. Der Markierungsindex wurde in der Epidermis, im supraseboglandulären Follikelabschnitt sowie in offenen und geschlossenen Comedonen ermittelt. Ferner wurde die Wanderungsrichtung der mit3H-Glycin und3H-Histidin markierten Hornzellen innerhalb der Comedonen verfolgt.

Zwischen Acnepatienten und Kontrollpersonen konnten keine Unterschiede in dem Markierungsindex festgestellt werden. Jedoch war der Markierungsindex der Gesichtsepidermis fast doppelt so hoch wie der der Rückenepidermis. Die supraseboglandulären Follikelabschnitte dieser beiden Körperregionen verhielten sich wie die angrenzende Epidermis.

Der Markierungsindex der Comedonen war sehr viel höher als der der normalen supraseboglandulären Follikelabschnitte.

In geschlossenen Comedonen war die Zellproliferation höher als in offenen Comedonen.

Markierte Hornzellen wanderten in Form gut abgrenzbarer Bänder in das Zentrum offener Comedonen. Diese markierten Zellen wurde später durch die Comedonenöffnung nach außen abgestoßen. Aus geschlossenen Comedonen entleerten sich jedoch innerhalb der Beobachtungszeit (2 Monate) keine Hornzellen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universität München, BRD

    Gerd Plewig, James E. Fulton & Albert M. Kligman

  2. Departments of Dermatology and Biochemistry, Univ. of Miami, 33136, Miami, Florida, USA

    James E. Fulton

  3. Department of Dermatology, Univ. of Pennsylvania, 19104, Philadelphia, USA

    Albert M. Kligman

Authors
  1. Gerd Plewig
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  2. James E. Fulton
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  3. Albert M. Kligman
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Additional information

This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the Hartford Foundation.

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Plewig, G., Fulton, J.E. & Kligman, A.M. Cellular dynamics of comedo formation in acne vulgaris. Arch. Derm. Forsch. 242, 12–29 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00595286

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