Fig. 2. Increased epidermal expression of CTSD after experimental skin injury. Acute disruption of the permeability barrier was induced by tape-stripping. Immediately, pepstatin A or the carrier solution was applied and skin samples were obtained at different times. The expression of the active, intermediate (A) and the mature form (B) of CTSD were examined by SDS-PAGE and western blotting using polyclonal anti-CTSD antibody and quantified by two-dimensional laser scanning densitometry.