A new method for recovery of exudates from normal and inflamed human skin

Summary A new method for recovery of exudate from human skin using a suction bulla technique is described. Undiluted exudate was obtained with minimal trauma and analysed for histamine, kinin and prostaglandin (PG)-like activity, by superfusion cascade bioassay. The PG-like activity was further characterized by gel partition, gas–liquid and thin-layer chromatography. PGE2 and PGF2α were further characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and PGF2α by radioimmunoassay. Histamine was detected as was kinin-like activity. Prostaglandins E2 and F2α with their metabolites, were also detected. The cell content of the bulla fluid was low compared to blood and the protein content was approximately 24 g/1. Histological and electron microscopic studies showed the bullae to arise from a split in the dermo–epidermal junction between the plasma membrane of the epidermal cells and the basal lamina.