title: The effect of lipids on transepidermal water permeation in snakes.
abstract: Transepidermal water permeation was measured for the shed skin of 8 species of snakes under conditions where the skin formed an interface between liquid water and dry air. Extraction with chloroform: methanol removed lipids amounting to 4.9-8.7% of the dry weight of skin and increased transepidermal water permeation 35- to 175-fold. Initial extraction of snake skin with hexane removed only 25-35% of the total extractable lipid but increased water permeation 3- to 10-fold. For totally delipidized skin, water-to-air permeation was much faster than air-to-air permeation, and was also faster than evaporation from a free water surface.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Burken
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Wertz
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Downing
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008055:Lipids / Q000502:physiology*; D010539:Permeability; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D012911:Snakes / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014867:Water