Development of the tight-skin phenotype in immune-deficient mice.

To determine if cutaneous thickening, a major phenotypic feature of the tight-skin (Tsk) mutation, could develop in an immune-deficient mouse. Experimental crosses among different strains of mice were conducted to create mice that were genetically Tsk/+, and that were also homozgyous for a mutation at the Prkdc(scid) locus and thus lacked mature T and B lymphocytes. Skin samples prepared from experimental and control genotypic groups of mice were evaluated for skin thickness. The data showed that the Tsk/+ mice developed the Tsk phenotype in the absence of a functional immune system. Mature T and B cells are not required for the development of the cutaneous thickening in mice carrying the Tsk mutation.