Abstract

 In this study, the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on skin development was investigated. A total of 24 adult female Spraque-Dawley rats were used in the study. The rats were divided into 3 equal groups as control, sialoadenectomy (SX) and sialoadenectomy+epidermal growth factor (SX+EGF). Sialoadenectomy was performed on the other groups except control. After a 21-day recovery period, subjects were made to mate. SX+EGF group rats were also given 12.5 µg/day EGF for each animal orally in the 16, 17th, 18th and 19th days of pregnancy. After pregnancy, the offsprings obtained were grown until the 28th day. All 28-day-old offsprings in all groups were weighed and sacrificed. Skin samples from interscapular region were examined under light and electron microscope. In light and electron microscopy, skin sections of SX group, atrophy in epiderm, hyperkeratosis, decrease in hair follicles and sebaceous glands, along with local thinning of basal membrane, hemidesmosome loss and necrotic cells were seen. In skin sections of SX+EGF group, the view was similar to controls. As a result, epidermal growth factor was concluded to have an important role in skin development.

Key words: Epidermal growth factor, rat skin, sialoadenectomy.