title: Reflectance spectroscopy can quantify cutaneous haemoglobin oxygenation by oxygen uptake from the atmosphere after epidermal barrier disruption.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The supply of oxygen to the viable skin tissue within the upper layers is not only secured by the cutaneous blood vascular system, but to a significant part also by oxygen diffusion from the atmosphere through the horny layer. The aim of this study was to examine whether changes in haemoglobin oxygenation can be observed within the isolated perfused bovine udder skin used as a skin model by removing the upper horny layer by adhesive tape stripping.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the visible spectral range was used for non-invasive characterisation of haemoglobin oxygenation in skin under in vitro conditions. Mid-infrared attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy was employed for analysing the surface layer of the stratum corneum with respect to keratin, water and lipid components. Skin barrier disruption was achieved by repeated stripping of superficial corneocyte layers by adhesive tape.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant changes in skin haemoglobin oxygenation were observed for skin areas with reduced lipid concentration and a reduced stratum corneum layer, as determined from the quantitative evaluation of the diffuse reflectance skin spectra. The result can be interpreted as an increase of oxygen diffusion after the removal of the upper horny layer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Spectrochemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Heise
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lampen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stücker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001272:Atmosphere; D002417:Cattle; D004058:Diffusion; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen