Ether-water partitioning and permeability through nude mouse skin in vitro. I. Urea, thiourea, glycerol and glucose

Abstract

The permeability coefficients for urea, thiourea, glycerol and glucose were determined for full thickness nude mouse skin and the dermis of nude mice by means of an infinite dose diffusion cell system in vitro. The permeability coefficients were found to be very low and ranged between 1.0 x 10-4 and 1.4 x 10-4 cm/h for full thickness skin. The permeability coefficients for the dermis ranged between 0.3 and 0.7 cm/h. The ether-water partitioning of urea, thiourea, glycerol and glucose was determined by means of a radiotracer method. This simple method proved to be very sensitive to low concentrations and to be economical both in relation to time and reagents. There appears to be no dependence of permeability on the polarity of these compounds when permeability is taken as a function of the ether-water partition coefficient.