Endothelial cell renewal in skin of patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS): an in vitro autoradiographic study.
The labelling index of endothelial cells of the dermal microvessels was studied by in vitro autoradiography with [3H] thymidine. 14 patients with PSS were compared with 7 control subjects, by sampling the upper-third of the forearm skin. One patient had a second biopsy in this area, on a telangiectasis. Microvessels from patients showed a significant increase in endothelial cell labelling. Within the PSS group, no difference was found between the indurated and the non-indurated skin. There was no correlation between the labelling index and the duration of the disease. A very high uptake was found in the telangiectasis. Such an increased labelling index in PSS is consistent with a response to the endothelial cell destruction as described in electron microscopy and in cultures with patient's serum.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001345:Autoradiography; D001706:Biopsy; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000473:pathology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D013684:Telangiectasis / Q000473:pathology; D013936:Thymidine; D014316:Tritium
D014316:Tritium; D013936:Thymidine