Novel Approaches to Characterize Age-Related Remodeling of the Dermal-Epidermal Junction in 2D, 3D, and In Vivo

    August 2016 in “ Skin research and technology ”
    Victoria Louise Newton, Robert S. Bradley, Pierre Séroul, Marie Cherel, C.E.M. Griffiths, A. V. Rawlings, R. Voegeli, Rachel Watson, Michael J. Sherratt
    Studysummary This study used 3D imaging to reveal age-related reductions in the volumes and connectivity of dermal papillae and rete ridges at the dermal-epidermal junction, which are not fully apparent in 2D examinations. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
    The study compared in vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy (RCM) and ex vivo microCT and histology to visualize and quantify age-related changes in the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) in 3D. It involved 20 volunteers, 10 aged 18-30 and 10 aged 65+. The findings showed that microCT provided detailed 3D reconstructions and revealed significant reductions in the volume of dermal papillae and rete ridges in aged skin, while RCM was less effective in differentiating these structures. The study highlighted the flattening of the DEJ with age, impacting nutrient transfer and epidermal adhesion, and suggested that 3D imaging techniques could enhance the understanding of skin aging.
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