Some observations on the dimensions of follicles and of other structures in the skin of sheep

Abstract

1. Data are presented on the volume and other dimensional relations of structures in the skin of four sheep of the Romney Marsh breed, namely a lamb aged 1 month, a ram aged 2½ years and two 8-year-old ewes. All the animals were in good condition when the skin samples were obtained, yet the skin of both ewes contained structures believed to be degenerating follicles.2. A method was developed by which it was possible to measure the volume of follicles and other structures in the skin, with an error of less than 1%. This method involved the tracing of projected images of horizontal sections of a selected follicle bundle throughout its depth in the skin, and measurement, by means of a planimeter, of the areas of structures shown on each tracing. The volume was calculated from the sum ofall the areas multiplied by the thickness of the sections. A method was also evolved of measuring the curled length, as distinct from the ‘depth’, of a follicle. The difference between the length and depth of the majority of the follicles in these samples was less than 10%.