Laboratory of Dr. William R. Kennedy

Laser scanning confocal microscope images of human skin biopsies:

Confocal z-series depicting epidermal innervation of normal human skin. Nerves are localized with antibody to protein gene product 9.5 (green or yellow), and basement membrane is demarcated with antibody to type IV collagen (red). Epidermal nerve fibers arise from a subepidermal neural plexus that extends horizontally immediately below the dermal-epidermal basement membrane. Numerous nerve fibers cross the basement membrane to innervate the epidermis.

Single, 2 micron optical section from above confocal series. Basement membrane can be clearly seen in red. We count as epidermal nerve fibers, only those that cross the basement membrane. In this image there are three epidermal nerve fibers.

Confocal z-series of normal human skin. Again, nerves are localized with antibody to protein gene product 9.5 (green or yellow), and basement membrane is demarcated with antibody to type IV collagen (red). Antibody to S100, shown in blue, localizes to melanocytes and langerhans cells in the epidermis and schwann cell sheaths in the dermis.

University of Minnesota Medical School
Department of Neurology
Last updated: February 25, 1998
Webmaster: eric@kennedylab.med.umn.edu

	Confocal z-series depicting epidermal innervation of normal human skin. Nerves are localized with antibody to protein gene product 9.5 (green or yellow), and basement membrane is demarcated with antibody to type IV collagen (red). Epidermal nerve fibers arise from a subepidermal neural plexus that extends horizontally immediately below the dermal-epidermal basement membrane. Numerous nerve fibers cross the basement membrane to innervate the epidermis.
	Single, 2 micron optical section from above confocal series. Basement membrane can be clearly seen in red. We count as epidermal nerve fibers, only those that cross the basement membrane. In this image there are three epidermal nerve fibers.
	Confocal z-series of normal human skin. Again, nerves are localized with antibody to protein gene product 9.5 (green or yellow), and basement membrane is demarcated with antibody to type IV collagen (red). Antibody to S100, shown in blue, localizes to melanocytes and langerhans cells in the epidermis and schwann cell sheaths in the dermis.