Antibodies specific for papillary fibroblasts as markers for skin quality

Abstract

Whether or not a sample of skin or of a skin equivalent contains such amount of a papillary fibroblast population as to be considered a normal skin is determined by labelling said skin or skin equivalent with at least one antibody specific for papillary fibroblasts and evaluating the extent of such labelling as a marker for skin or skin equivalent quality.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATION[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 of FR-99 / 15292, filed Dec. 3, 1999, hereby expressly incorporated by reference.[0002] 1. Technical Field of the Invention[0003] The present invention relates to the use of at least one antibody specific for papillary fibroblasts as a marker for the quality of skin, in particular of a skin equivalent.[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art[0005] It is of course well known that human skin consists of two closely linked compartments or strata, namely, the epidermis and the dermis.[0006] The epidermis is principally comprised of three cell types, keratinocytes, which themselves constitute the majority of the cells of the epidermis, melanocytes and Langerhans cells. These cells constitute a keratinized epithelium which is differentiated into superposed layers or strata surmounted by a layer of dead cells forming the stratum corneum.[0007] The dermis provides the epidermis with a solid ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the problem remains of identifying the various fibroblast populations in dermis equivalents reconstructed from a random population of fibroblasts.

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