title: In vivo reflectance-mode confocal microscopy provides insights in human skin microcirculation and histomorphology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Various approaches are used to study microcirculation, however, no modality evaluates microcirculation and histomorphology on cellular levels. We hypothesized that reflectance-mode confocal microscopy (RCM) enables simultaneous evaluation in vivo of both microcirculation and histomorphology.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The forearm of 20 volunteers was exposed to either local heat stress (HS-group), or to local cold stress (CS-group). RCM was performed prior and after temperature stress to evaluate quantitative blood-cell flow, capillary loop diameter, granular cell size, and basal layer thickness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the HS-group, we observed significant increase in capillary loop diameter and increased blood-cell flow after heat stress. In the CS-group, significant decreases of capillary loop diameter and in blood-cell flow were determined following cold stress. Granular cell size and basal layer thickness differed insignificantly prior and after local temperature stress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RCM provides real-time and in vivo high resolution imaging of temperature-dependent changes in the human skin microcirculation and histomorphology on cellular levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical School Hannover, 30625 Hannover, Germany. altintas.mehmet@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Altintas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer-Marcotty
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Altintas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guggenheim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gohritz
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Aust
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Vogt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D014661:Vasoconstriction; D014664:Vasodilation; D055815:Young Adult