ISSN:
0003-276X
Keywords:
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
The effects of UVL-B and/or testosterone replacement therapy are compared in normal and castrated rats in order to determine whether testosterone is required for UVL-B (280-315 nm) stimulation of melanogenesis in the testosterone-dependent epidermal melanocyte system of the scrotal skin of black Long Evans rats. Testosterone is not a prerequisite for UVL-B stimulation of melanocytes as in both castrates and normal animals the melanocytes respond to UVL-B by increases in size, length and number of dendrites (dendriticness), and tyrosinase activity (intensity of Dopa reaction). Addition of testosterone to castrates does enhance the effects of UVL-B. However, UVL-B with or without testosterone cannot maintain normal melanogenesis in rats irradiated immediately after castration nor can it restore normal melanogenesis following long term castration. Both the amount of UVL energy/exposure and the number of exposures are important variables in stimulation of the epidermal melanocytes. Administration of a dose of UVL-B to castrates in a single exposure is ineffective, while the same overall dose spread over several exposures increases the size and dendriticness of melanocytes. Testosterone and UVL-B act synergistically in affecting melanogenesis although neither singly nor in combination are they able to fully restore normal melanogenesis.
Additional Material:
1 Tab.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ar.1091930104
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