Surface Ultra-Structure and Size of Human Corneocytes from Upper Stratum Corneum Layers of Normal and Diabetic Subjects with Discussion of Cohesion Aspects

Background: During the final stage of differentiation of cornified squamous epithelia like the human skin epidermis, anucleated corneocytes are formed. Formation of the horny layer and its ongoing desquamation are fundamental processes leading to the formation of an efficient epidermal barrier. Materials and methods: For a better understanding of the desquamation process, the role of corneocyte surface ultra-structure has been investigated using a special preparation technique for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Human morphologically different corneocytes from the stratum corneum of the fingertip, the thenar eminence (thick skin), and the wrist below the carpus (thin skin) of normal and diabetic subjects were obtained by adhesive tape stripping. Results: The inside surface structure of corneocytes from thick skin shows prominent nubs, which are broader and more extended than those of thin skin. Towards their outside, corneocytes were flat with cavities as indentations of the nubs from neighboured cells providing clues on the mechanical strength of the ‘intercellular stickiness’. As the size of thin skin corneocytes for diabetic subjects was also studied, it was found that their area was slightly nonlinearly dependent on age. Conclusion: Accordingly to a reduced proliferation and differentiation rate, as postulated for diabetic persons, differences in size were as expected but statistically not significant, compared with corneocytes under normal homeostasis conditions. For discussion is a model, for which the interwoven cellular connectivity provides additional mechanical strength for the stratum corneum in thick skin. Surface Ultra-Structure and Size of Human Corneocytes from Upper Stratum Corneum Layers of Normal and Diabetic Subjects with Discussion of Cohesion Aspects Markus Stücker1*, Michael Licht2# and H Michael Heise2 1Vein Center of the Departments of Dermatology and Vascular Surgery, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44805 Bochum, Germany 2Interdisciplinary Center for Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences of South-Westphalia, D-58644 Iserlohn, Germany *Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. Markus Stücker, Vein Center of the Departments of Dermatology and Vascular Surgery, Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44805 Bochum, Germany, Tel: 0049 234 8792 377; E-mail: [email protected] Received April 15, 2015; Accepted September 11, 2015; Published September 15, 2015 Citation: Stücker M, Licht M, Heise HM (2015) Surface Ultra-Structure and Size of Human Corneocytes from Upper Stratum Corneum Layers of Normal and Diabetic Subjects with Discussion of Cohesion Aspects. J Diabetes Metab 6: 603. doi:10.4172/2155-6156.1000603 Copyright: © 2015 Stücker M, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.