Steroid sulfatase activity in the skin of the external ear canal.

Steroid sulfatase is an enzyme which has an important role in the complex process of cell desquamation. The specific activity of this enzyme was found to be higher in the epithelium of the deep external auditory canal than in the epithelium of the superficial external canal. We speculate that this steroid sulfatase activity gradient is involved in the outward migration of the keratinocytes of the canal epithelium.