Epidermal intercellular relationships during carcinogenesis and cocarcinogenesis as revealed by scanning electron microscopy.

Investigations with the scanning electron microscope were carried out on the skin of 80 NMRI mice after treating them with small doses of the carcinogenic substance DMBA and the cocarcinogenic agent TPA, respectively. The results were correlated with histologic, transmission electron microscope and autoradiographic observations. The epidermis of TPA-treated animals was markedly hyperplastic with an orderly arrangement of cell layers. Autoradiographically only the basal cells were heavily labelled. With the scanning and transmission electron microscope a reduced number of intercellular connections and dilatation of the intercellular spaces could be detected. After treatment with DMBA the epidermis was only moderately hyperplastic but severely dysplastic with 3H-thymidine-labelled cells in the upper layers. The most characteristic findings were the loss of the intercellular connections, especially the lateral ones, and a pronounced dilatation of the intercellular spaces. The results obtained with the scanning electron microscope were quantified using morphometrical methods.