Epidermal cell kinetics of the pig: a review

Age-related changes in cell kinetic parameters for the epidermis of pigs have been shown to be small, indicating that young pigs may be used for experimental studies. It was not possible to draw any firm conclusions about any strain-related differences in the cell kinetics of the epidermis of the pig. Lower LI values have been quoted for the miniature pig and the Yorkshire pig than for the Large White pig. However, these differences may be related to variations in experimental technique. The cell kinetic data for the Yorkshire pig are not consistent. Very high values for the mitotic index suggested a high rate of cell turnover, whilst data from single pulse labelling and grain count halving studies indicate a relatively low rate of cell turnover. The results from continuous labelling studies on the epidermis of the Yorkshire pig suggest that the basal cell turnover time (TT) is a factor of two or more shorter (136 h) than the estimates obtained using other methods. In the Large White pig estimates of TT were similar using a variety of techniques and were comparable with the TT estimate for the Yorkshire pig obtained using the continuous labelling method. There is some degree of inconsistency in the literature with regard to possible diurnal variations in the cell kinetic parameters for the epidermis. In the study of Archambeau & Bennet (1984) distinct diurnal variations were found in the LI, although the reliability of this finding is questionable due to the small number of animals used. Later studies by Morris et al. (1987) have suggested that diurnal variations are negligible in the epidermis of the pig. The majority of labelled cells (80%) in pig epidermis are located in the basal layer, although a significant proportion (20%) occurs suprabasally, in the cell layer immediately above the basal layer. Therefore, the epidermis can be regarded as having a bilayered proliferative cell compartment. The results from studies on irradiated pig skin (Morris & Hopewell, 1986, 1988, 1989) are not consistent with the presence of a homogeneous proliferative compartment in the epidermis, and are best explained by the occurrence of an heterogeneous proliferative compartment consisting of a stem cell subpopulation and a much larger population of transit proliferative cells.