Effect of Locally Applied Vitamin A and Estrogen on Rat Epidermis.

Abstract

Vit. A admd. topically to the skin of ovariectomized adult female rats for 10 days resulted in an avg. increase in epidermal thickness to about 2 times normal. A notable increase in the extent of the stratum granulosum occurred, and a decreased rate of keratin formation and/or an increased rate of keratohyalin formation were suggested. The effect was apparently entirely local; untreated skin areas from vit.-treated rats showed no significant alterations. Estrogen similarly admd. resulted in no observable change in the epidermis and did not counteract the stimulatory effect of the vit.