Development of a skin phantom of the epidermis and evaluation by using fluorescence techniques

Abstract

The aim of this project was to develop a skin phantom that resembles the epidermis including the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum and the dermis. The main intent was to achieve optical properties similar to skin tissue. Therefore, two compartments of the skin, dermis and epidermis, were examined regarding their optical properties. Based on these results, the skin phantom was designed using relevant skin components. The scattering coefficient was measured by using Reflectance-based Confocal Microscopy (RCM) and the fluorescence spectrum was detected via confocal laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM). Prospective, the skin phantom can be used to incorporate various fluorescing chemicals, such as fluorescent dyes and fluorescent-labeled drugs to perform calibration measurements in wide-field and laser-scanning microscopes to provide a basis for the quantification of skin penetration studies.