Correlation Between Tensile Strength and Collagen Content in Rat Skin. Effect of Age and Cortisol Treatment

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Abstract
Changes in skin during maturation and ageing as well as after treatment with cortisol acetate were studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. Mechanical parameters (ultimate load and tensile strength) were compared with biochemical parameters, i.e., collagen content and collagen fractions, as well as glycosaminoglycan content and glycosaminoglycan fractions (hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfates and heparin sulfate). The values of ultimate load and tensile strength as well as the total collagen and insoluble collagen content showed a biphasic curve during the life span, with a maximum at 4 months or 1 year. Using these parameters, maturation and ageing processes can be distinguished, whereas the other parameters changed only in one direction so that no differentiation between maturation and ageing can be made. Short term treatment with cortisol acetate induced a rise in ultimate load and tensile strength, whereas long term treatment resulted in a decrease in ultimate load and skin thickness and an Increase in tensile strength. Total collagen and insoluble collagen as well as the collagen ratio showed a rise similar to that of tensile strength. Combining all groups in this study, an excellent correlation between the tensile strength of skin and the content of insoluble collagen was found, resulting in the conclusion that collagen, and not the glycosaminoglycans, is responsible for the tensile strength of rat skin.