Figure 4.

Properties of skins from mice with deficient skin-associated lipid barriers. Skins from DGAT1 KO mice were assayed by TEWL (n = 3; A) and by histological analysis (B). Skins from skin-specific SCD1 mutant mice (SKO) were assayed by TEWL (n = 3; C) and by histological means (D). Note the unusual structure of skin from SKO mouse was also observed in a spontaneous mutant strain of the SCD1 allele arising on the DBA/1LacJ background, described by Sundberg et al. [50]. This includes extreme sebaceous gland hypoplasia and abnormally long anagen follicles that are retained deep in the dermis, giving the skin a black color. Skins from Sdc1 KO mice were assayed by TEWL (n = 3; E), and by histological analysis (F), revealing the depleted dWAT layer (50% thinner). Skins from obese A^y mice were analyzed similarly, by TEWL assay (n = 3; G), and histological assay, showing accumulation of dWAT (>400 nm thick; H). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis was performed with unpaired 2-tailed t test (****P < 0.0001).