DISRUPTION OF TONOFIBRILS AND INTERCELLULAR BRIDGES BY DISULFIDE-SPLITTING AGENTS

[摘要] Sulfhydryl compounds and extremes of pH cause in vitro disintegration of tonofibrils and intercellular bridges of fresh, human epidermal cells resulting in separation of rete cells from each other[long dash]in vitro blister formation. It is most probable that disulfide groups play an important role in the integrity of intercellular bridges and cytoplasmic tonofibrils. Mild thermal stimuli release an enzymic degradation process which results in the loss of intercellular bridges and cytoplasmic tonofibrils with resultant separation of cells from each other. The enzymic degradation can be inhibited by sulfhydryl binding agents such as Cu++, Hg++, and Ag+ and it is postulated that intracellular cathepsins are responsible for the enzymic cytolysis.