Real-TimeReflectance Confocal Microscopy, a Noninvasive Tool for in vivo Quantitative Evaluation of Comedolysis in the Rhino Mouse Model

Vol. 20, No. 1, 2007

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Original Paper

Real-TimeReflectance Confocal Microscopy, a Noninvasive Tool for in vivo Quantitative Evaluation of Comedolysis in the Rhino Mouse Model
K. Nakano^{a, c}, K. Kiyokane^c, C. Benvenuto-Andrade^b, S. González^{a, b}

^aWellman Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and
^bDermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N.Y., USA;
^cDepartment of Dermatology, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan

Address of Corresponding Author

Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2007;20:29-36 (DOI: 10.1159/000096169)

Key Words

Reflectance confocal microscopy
Rhino mouse, comedones
All-trans-retinoic acid
All-trans-retinol

Abstract

Background: Near-infrared reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a noninvasive tool that provides real-time images of thin virtual horizontal tissue sections. Aims/Methods: We have used a rhino mouse model in combination with topical application of all-trans-retinoic acid and all-trans-retinol to investigate the usefulness of RCM as a noninvasive imaging tool to evaluate comedolysis in vivo and over time. Optical images were correlated with routine histology. Results: Our results demonstrate that RCM in vivo can visualize the process of transformation of utriculi (pseudocomedones) towards a normal-appearing follicular structure during retinoid treatment. The retinoic acid intervention group showed a dose-related response, while the vehicle-treated group did not show utricular changes. Conclusions: RCM represents a useful tool for in vivo morphological and quantitative evaluation of skin utriculi over time and could be used as an adjunct tool to histopathological techniques for comedolysis studies.

Author Contacts

Salvador Gonzalez, MD
Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
160 East 53rd Street 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10044 (USA)
Tel. +1 212 610 0185, Fax +1 212 308 0530, E-Mail gonzals6@mskcc.org

Article Information

Received: December 16, 2005
Accepted after revision: April 21, 2006
Published online: October 11, 2006
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 28

Medline Abstract (ID 17035719)

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