Figure 3.

Kinetics of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-induced dermal hypersensitivity responses. Animals (n = 5) received 50 µl of 0·5% FITC in dibutyl phthalate : acetone (DBP) on the shaved flanks on days 0 and 7. Fourteen days after the initiation of exposure, the ear thickness of sensitized (□) and control (naive) (▪) animals was measured, using an engineers’ micrometer, immediately prior to challenge on the dorsum of both ears with 25 µl of 0·5% FITC in DBP. Ear thickness was re-evaluated at various time-points thereafter, and elicitation reactions recorded as the mean percentage increase in ear thickness (± SE) relative to prechallenge values. Results from two independent experiments (a) and (b) are presented. At all time-points, significant (P < 0·01) increases in mean ear thickness relative to concurrent controls were observed.