Effects of Steroid Hormones on Developing Mouse Skin In Vitro

In this study, pieces of skin from 13.5- to 15-day-old fetal mice were cultured in vitro with and without hormonal steroids. Cortisol at 7.5 μg/ml caused thinning of the non-cornified epidermis and flattening of the stratum granulosum after 3 days, with further thinning and hair follicle regression observed by 6 days, continuing up to 12 days. Corticosterone at 5 μg/ml also led to epidermal thinning and follicle regression after 6 days. In contrast, testosterone at 100 μg/ml resulted in good differentiation of the epidermis and hair follicles, with the non-cornified epidermal layers being similar to controls at 3 days but less than half as thick at 6 days. Hair follicles differentiated rapidly, and sebaceous gland anlagen developed by 6 days, with some sebaceous cell differentiation observed at 9 days.