Structural-Functional Reorganization of Skin and Its Derivatives Under Experimental Subacute Intoxication by Heavy Metals
March 2019
in “
Hygiene and Sanitation
”
TLDR Heavy metals can damage skin and hair in mice.
The study investigated the effects of heavy metal salts (nickel, chromium, lead, and zinc) on the skin and its derivatives in C57BL/6 mice. It was found that subacute intoxication with nickel, chromium, and lead caused dystrophic changes in hair follicles, such as melanin granule ectopia and enlarged hair channels, without altering the anagen stage duration. Nickel and lead exposure led to mononuclear infiltration in the dermis and hypodermis, while lead acetate caused capillary congestion and dermal infiltration by siderophages. Immunohistochemical analysis showed increased keratinocyte proliferative activity with zinc sulphate and sodium dichromate, but decreased activity with lead acetate.
