Cannon, C.L., P.J. Neal, J. Kubilus, M. Klausner, D.C. Swartendrubber, C.A. Squier, M.J. Kremer, P.W. Wertz. Lipid and Ultrastructural Characterization of a New Epidermal Model Shows Good Correspondence to Normal Human Epidermis. J. Invest. Dermatol. 1994. 102(4): 641. Abst. #458. [Reprinted by permission of Blackwell Science, Inc.]

A model of the human epidermis, EpiDermÔ , based on neonatal foreskin-derived normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) has recently been characterized in terms of stratum corneum (SC) lipids, intercellular lamellae, and epidermal barrier properties. Using quantitative thin layer chromatography, all lipid species normally present in epidermis were identified in proportions remarkably similar to those of native epidermis. Although RuO₄ stained thin sections of these cultures showed infrequent clusters of abnormal lamellar fragments and intercellular lamellae that were not as uniform as those observed in vivo, these cultures do show evenly spread and alternating broad-narrow-broad lamellar patterns characteristic of the intercellular lamellae of normal epidermis SC. The permeability of optimized cultures to tritiated water was not significantly different from that of human skin (p<0.05). These results along with others showing normal epidermal structure, biochemistry, and function provide the theoretical basis for use of this model to study dermal irritation and skin penetration in vitro.