Evaluation of Biohazards Using Skin in Organ Culture

摘要

An in vitro short term organ culture system has been developed for maintaining metabolically viable and structurally intact mouse skin. Using this system, the responses of mouse skin to in vitro chemical insults were assessed by selected biochemical parameters. Studies with the irritant tributyltin chloride showed that the degree of cellular injury was reflected by inhibition of in vitro incorporation of exp 3 H-thymidine and exp 14 C-leucine into epidermal DNA and protein, respectively. In addition, there was leakage of intracellular enzymes into the culture medium in a dose and time related manner. When skin samples were exposed to complex irritant mixtures, e.g., H-coal distillates, leakage of intracellular enzymes was also observed. This in vitro system is potentially adaptable for use with skin samples from other species, including man. It offers a means whereby species differences may be examined under defined conditions and also allows for a quantitative basis for assessing cutaneous toxicity of chemicals and complex mixtures in vitro. (ERA citation 09:001339)