Quantification of stratum corneum removal by adhesive tape stripping by total protein assay in 96-well microplates.
OBJECTIVE
Examination of stratum corneum (SC) content with tape stripping and a colorimetric method is increasingly used. We examined the possible use of microplates in tandem with a colorimetric method to examine SC removed with tape stripping. As a corollary to this examination, the homogeneity of tape strips was examined.


METHODS
The commonly used Lowry assay was adapted for 96-well plates. Tapes were divided into four regions and sample disks of 5 mm diameter were taken from each and analyzed for SC mass using the adapted Lowry assay.


RESULTS
Homogeneity of SC removal over different areas across a tape strip is limited.


CONCLUSIONS
Quantification of SC by means of a 96-well microplate-based colorimetric method is feasible and shortens the time of analysis. However, when using D-Squame tape disks, SC removal on a limited area of the tape is not predictive for SC removal on the entire tape as removal is inhomogenous. Therefore, SC protein extraction should be performed on a large enough area, eventually on the entire tape when quantifying SC mass removed by tape stripping.
Dreher
F
F
Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0989, USA.
Modjtahedi
B S
BS
Modjtahedi
S P
SP
Maibach
H I
HI
D000268:Adhesiveness; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001458:Bandages; D004817:Epidermis / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012621:Seasons; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D011506:Proteins