Biomaterial Database

Acantholysis induced by proteolytic enzymes. I. Porcine pancreatic elastase. 1982

H Hino, and T Kobayasi, and G Asboe-Hansen

In an attempt to induce acantholysis in cultivated normal human epidermis, porcine pancreatic elastase was used. After 30 minutes, the intercellular contact layers of desmosomes appeared discontinuous. Following the disappearance of the intercellular filamentous structures, desmosomes ruptured into two, and in 3 hours, typical acantholysis was observed. After 15 minutes, prior to the desmosomal changes, dermo-epidermal separation started at the subepidermal space. After 2 hours of elastase influence, anchoring filaments and the basal lamina were degraded. Five hours from the start of culture, the anchoring fibrils remained undigested by elastase. The mechanism of elastase influence on epidermis is assumed to depend rather on its proteolytic activity than on its elastolytic activity.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010179	Pancreas	A nodular organ in the ABDOMEN that contains a mixture of ENDOCRINE GLANDS and EXOCRINE GLANDS. The small endocrine portion consists of the ISLETS OF LANGERHANS secreting a number of hormones into the blood stream. The large exocrine portion (EXOCRINE PANCREAS) is a compound acinar gland that secretes several digestive enzymes into the pancreatic ductal system that empties into the DUODENUM.
D010196	Pancreatic Elastase	A protease of broad specificity, obtained from dried pancreas. Molecular weight is approximately 25,000. The enzyme breaks down elastin, the specific protein of elastic fibers, and digests other proteins such as fibrin, hemoglobin, and albumin. EC 3.4.21.36.	Elastase,Pancreatopeptidase,Elastase I,Pancreatic Elastase I,Elastase I, Pancreatic,Elastase, Pancreatic
D003896	Desmosomes	A type of junction that attaches one cell to its neighbor. One of a number of differentiated regions which occur, for example, where the cytoplasmic membranes of adjacent epithelial cells are closely apposed. It consists of a circular region of each membrane together with associated intracellular microfilaments and an intercellular material which may include, for example, mucopolysaccharides. (From Glick, Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1990; Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Desmosome
D004817	Epidermis	The external, nonvascular layer of the skin. It is made up, from within outward, of five layers of EPITHELIUM: (1) basal layer (stratum basale epidermidis); (2) spinous layer (stratum spinosum epidermidis); (3) granular layer (stratum granulosum epidermidis); (4) clear layer (stratum lucidum epidermidis); and (5) horny layer (stratum corneum epidermidis).
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000051	Acantholysis	Separation of the prickle cells of the stratum spinosum of the epidermis, resulting in atrophy of the prickle cell layer. It is seen in diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris (see PEMPHIGUS) and DARIER DISEASE.	Acantholyses
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012867	Skin	The outer covering of the body that protects it from the environment. It is composed of the DERMIS and the EPIDERMIS.