Dreher, R. M. A Test for Local Irritation Using a Human Keratinocyte Skin Culture - a 'Second Generation Method' for the Replacement of the Draize Test. Alternativen zu Tierexperimenten. 1987. 7:18-25. Abstracted in ATLA (1988) 16, 106.

sodium dodecyl sulfate - 151-21-3

A test was developed to estimate the potential irritation of chemicals, which can be regarded as a sort of 'second generation method' for the replacement of the Draize test. Keratinocytes obtained from human skin were cultured in 24-well plates until confluent. After two more days 1-2 cm2 pieces of this cultured skin were removed by enzyme digestion as a multilayered sheet of cells and cryopreserved for later use. The test was carried out, after thawing the culture epithelium, by incubating a series of dilutions of the test substance for 24 hours. After a 3-hour staining period with a 0.4% neutral red solution and a washing procedure, the absorbed stain was extracted from the living cells and photometrically quantified. Preliminary experiments were carried out with the surfactant - sodium dodecyl sulphate.