Morphological Analysis of Patchy Thickening and Reddish Discoloration of Active Hair Growth Areas in the Skin of New Zealand White Rabbits

In the 2017 study, researchers investigated the morphological changes in the skin of New Zealand White rabbits, specifically looking at patchy thickening and reddish discoloration in areas of active hair growth. They analyzed skin samples from 4 rabbits, dividing them into three groups based on appearance: thickened skin, erythematous (reddish) skin, and smooth skin, with 5 samples in each group. The study found that hair follicles in the anagen (growth) phase were larger and more numerous in the thickened and erythematous skin groups compared to the smooth skin group. Additionally, these groups had a higher number of proliferating cells within the hair follicles. The study also noted that in rabbits, unlike in mice and rats, the dermis is close to the muscle layer with a thin hypodermis, and the anagen hair follicles are located within the dermis. This anatomical feature may cause the skin to appear raised and thickened due to the compression of the surrounding dermis by the large hair follicles. Furthermore, the erythematous skin group exhibited increased angiogenesis, as indicated by a higher number of CD31-positive blood vessels around the hair follicles, which likely contributed to the reddish discoloration observed.