Liposomes as protective agents of stratum corneum against octyl glucoside:a study based on high-resolution, low-temperature scanning electron microscopy

The ability of phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes to protect pig stratum co rneum (SC) against the action of the nonionic surfactant octyl glucoside (O G) was investigated "in vitro" using double-layer coating for high-resoluti on, low-temperature scanning electron microscopy. This technique has been u seful in preventing drying artifacts in the study of biological materials. The treatment of SC with OG led to a perturbation mainly in the corneocytes . However, the incubation of the tissue with liposomes prior to the OG trea tment resulted in a progressive decrease in these perturbations and, conseq uently, in the progressive protection of the SC against the action of the s urfactant. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.