The effect of light from a ruby laser on the metabolism of skin in tissue culture

Abstract

Split thickness skin (0.15 mm) from albino guinea pigs was exposed to light from a ruby laser. Measurements with a copper cone calorimeter showed that about 40% of the light was absorbed, 40% was transmitted and 20% was reflected. After exposure to energy densities ranging from 0.4 to 2.5 J/mm 2 the skin was maintained on a medium containing radioactive isotopes in tracer amounts to enable the synthesis of intracellular substances to be measured. Graded inhibition of sulphate uptake and proline uptake was observed; 50% inhibition of both processes occurred at an incident energy density of about 2.5 J/mm 2.