MORPHOLOGICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKIN IN WHITE NEW ZEALAND RABBIT DURING FETAL PERIOD

The present study aimed to investigate the development of fetal rabbit skin. At the 16th gestational day, the developing skin consisted of a single layer of cuboidal or low columnar cells representing the primitive epidermis and loosely organized mesodermal cells representing the presumptive dermis. On the 18th gestational day, the epidermis was composed of single or double cell layers. Moreover, the uppermost mesodermal cells of the presumptive dermis formed a clear condensation just underneath the presumptive epidermis. On the 20th gestational day, the developing epidermis acquired a clear stratification. The sup-epidermal layer of the dermis became denser with many blood vessels. At the 25th gestational day, the developing epidermis showed more distinct stratification with more elongated and more differentiated hair follicles. Moreover, the primitive sebaceous glands started to develop as an outgrowth from the upper part of the primitive hair follicles. On the 30th gestational day, the epidermis assumed a well-differentiated and relatively mature appearance. No sweat glands were detected in fetal rabbit skin at all studied ages. We concluded that the development of the skin and its appendages in rabbits was largely recognized during fetal life