Human epidermal Langerhans' cells are sensitive to rapid cooling by ethyl chloride

Topical anesthesia with ethyl chloride spraying generates some remarkable reactive events in the human Langerhans' cell (LC) system. Many LC retract their dendrites and a considerable number move to the innermost layers of the epidermis within 15 minutes. This rapid motility supports the view that the interstices between cells in living epidermis are large. The LC cytomembrane is very susceptible to cold shock which causes the cytomembrane to superimpose upon itself forming abnormally shaped Birbeck granules. This process may consume too much of the cytomembrane to be compatible with cell survival.