TY - JOUR
T1 - The relationship between bacteria and the abnormal follicular keratinization in acne vulgaris
AU - Lavker, R. M.
AU - Leyden, J. J.
AU - McGinley, K. J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Recently, we have employed cyanoacrylate glue to obtain samples of individual sebaceous follicles; these al'e then amenable to ultrastructw'al and microbiological analysis [5]. This Manuscript received September 10, 1980; accepted for publication February 11, 1981. This work was supported by Research Grant # AM27213, National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, United States Public Health Service. Reprint requests to: Robert M. Lavker, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Department of Dermatology, Duhring Laboratories, Medical Education Building/GM, 36th' and Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Abbreviations: MCGs: membrane-coating granules technique removes a thin sheet composed of the outer 2 or 3 cell layers of the epidermal stratum corneum to which are attached portions of the acro-and infrainfundibulum. Individual follicular samples consist of vellus hairs in a matrix of sebum and bacteria. Holmes, Williams, and Cunliffe [6] have demonstrated that the frequency and size of these follicular samples correlates with the extent and severity of acne-a finding which we have cOD'oborated (unpublished observations). They called these structures "coated hairs." Other investigators have used the term sebaceous fIlaments to describe the contents of the follicular canal [7,8].
PY - 1981
Y1 - 1981
N2 - The structural organization and bacteriological profile of follicular casts and early comedones in prepuberal children were investigated. Follicular casts were present in all samples but were not as abundant as usually seen in older individuals with acne. When examined with the light microscope, all casts and comedones were composed of numerous layers of horny cells and sebum, but were devoid of bacteria. Neither follicular casts nor comedones yielded bacteria when cultured. Electron microscopy of the follicular casts revealed the presence of small round, discrete lipid droplets, and alternating dense and less dense lamellar configurations within the horny cells. Some horny cells closest to the sebum-filled lumen contained large lipid masses, resulting in 'balloon-shaped' regions. Prepuberal follicular horny cells contained all of the abnormalities usually seen in follicular casts and biopsy material from acne patients, which suggests that these casts are potential comedones. These aberrations occurred in the complete absence of bacteria indicating that bacteria are not essential to the formation of casts or comedones. Furthermore, our findings indicate that bacteria play little if any role in the initial events of pathological keratinization.
AB - The structural organization and bacteriological profile of follicular casts and early comedones in prepuberal children were investigated. Follicular casts were present in all samples but were not as abundant as usually seen in older individuals with acne. When examined with the light microscope, all casts and comedones were composed of numerous layers of horny cells and sebum, but were devoid of bacteria. Neither follicular casts nor comedones yielded bacteria when cultured. Electron microscopy of the follicular casts revealed the presence of small round, discrete lipid droplets, and alternating dense and less dense lamellar configurations within the horny cells. Some horny cells closest to the sebum-filled lumen contained large lipid masses, resulting in 'balloon-shaped' regions. Prepuberal follicular horny cells contained all of the abnormalities usually seen in follicular casts and biopsy material from acne patients, which suggests that these casts are potential comedones. These aberrations occurred in the complete absence of bacteria indicating that bacteria are not essential to the formation of casts or comedones. Furthermore, our findings indicate that bacteria play little if any role in the initial events of pathological keratinization.
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U2 - 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12482524
DO - 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12482524
M3 - Article
C2 - 6167647
AN - SCOPUS:0019857512
SN - 0022-202X
VL - 77
SP - 325
EP - 330
JO - Journal of Investigative Dermatology
JF - Journal of Investigative Dermatology
IS - 3
ER -