Figure 6.

Suppression of abnormal epidermal differentiation by p38 inhibitor SB203580. Immunostaining to K12 keratin (A), K10 keratin (B), and filaggrin (C) was performed in the normal control (before culturing), submerged cultures, and airlift cultures, of which the latter was also added with SB203580 for 2 weeks. K12 keratin was expressed by suprabasal and superficial cells in the normal control and the submerged culture, decreased to single cells and patches of cells in the airlift culture, and reverted to the normal pattern after the addition of SB203580. K10 keratin-positive cells were absent in the normal control and the submerged cultures but was found in superficial and suprabasal cell layers in airlift cultures. They disappeared after SB203580 was added. Filaggrin-positive cells were found only in superficial cell layers in airlift cultures but disappeared after SB203580 was added. Composites of micrographs at lower magnification confirmed the loss of K12 keratin expression (D). The gain of K10 keratin expression (E) was confined to the limbal epithelium in airlift cultures and was reverted by SB203580. Scale bars: (A–C) 100 μm; (D, E) 200 μm.