[Bovine udder skin (BUS): testing of skin compatibility and skin protection]

New concepts of the horny layer as a metabolically active part of the epidermal permeability barrier elicited a re-evaluation of conventional mechanisms of occupational skin protection. Both skin protection products and noxae must penetrate the horny layer of the skin to be effective. The isolated perfused bovine udder skin (BUS) model reflects the natural penetration pattern; hence skin irritation, penetration and absorption can be investigated simultaneously. Using whole skin biopsies the degree of irritation in untreated (control), treated and pre-treated skin is measured by assessing the irritancy (PGE2-concentration) and cytotoxicity (MTT assay) after the exposure period of 0.5 h, 1.0 h and 5.0 h. Two types of skin protection studies were reported. One was a laboratory study using the water-soluble sodiumlaurylsulphate (10%, 15%) as noxa. The other study was initiated by a severely skin irritating water-soluble coolant (approx. 5%). This well documented case occurred in a metal working plant. In both studies different degrees of protective potential against the model noxae SLS and the coolant could be observed.