Direct measurement of the rate of collagen synthesis in skin

Abstract

A method for measuring collagen synthesis using punch biopsies of human and rat skin is presented. Minces of dermis are incubated with [ 14C]proline in Krebs-Ringer buffer for 3 h and the specific activity of radioactive proline determined on either whole dermis or a hot 5% TCA extract of dermis. The proline incorporation observed is shown to involve protein (collagen) synthesis. The method is practical, yielding significant and reproducible results. The level of proline incorporation correlates well with growth in man and animals. Preliminary findings in the skin of patients with scleroderma and other diseases are reported.