Mueller matrix polarimetry for characterization of skin tissue samples: A review

Mueller matrix polarimetry (MMP) has emerged as a simple, fast and non-invasive optical tool in basic and preclinical research whereby polarized light measurements are used to characterize biological samples. The skin tissue being exposed can be easily sampled, and the highly anisotropic nature of its ultra-structural components (e.g., the dense collagen/ elastin matrix, fibers) enable it a particularly suitable site for MMP investigations. In this study, we aim to survey, summarize, analyze and speculate on the trends in the literature which deals with the MMP of skin tissues. Specifically, we start with a brief description of the experimental implementation of MMP technique, with a focus on both the hardware and methodology, followed by a comprehensive online literature survey to summarize the MMP data pertaining to skin tissues and associated pathologies. Finally, the polarimetric data of skin tissues have been analyzed, quantitatively compared (using box and whisker plot and student t test) and the observed trends interpreted with the help of tissue morphology. We expect that this work will provide a useful reference to a comprehensive MMP analysis of the skin tissues.