Analysis of the Processing Histology of Mink Skin

Abstract

Most people around the world regard mink skin as luxuriouscommodities, since the mink hair is generous and guard hairlength is moderate. However, a variety of reasons will attributeto hair loss or orientation phenomenon of upper hair in theprocesses. The paper studied the processing histology of mink inthe processing, which could build a scientific foundation tooptimize the process, improve the technical skills and improveproduct quality. Mink skin samples used in the experiment weretaken from soaking, degreasing, bating, pickling, and tanningprocesses. The photomicrographs were observed by bio-opticalmicroscope. Besides, samples were performed by frozen sectionmethod and stained with iron hematoxylin staining method aswell as Gill modified hematoxylin staining method. It is foundthat the hair follicles of the mink were distributed irregularly inthe form of compound hair follicles or individual hair follicles.ink fat glands were very developed. In other words, each hairfollicle generally was surrounded by a pair of fat glands. With theincrease in degreasing time, the number of fat cells in the fatglands was reduced and the fibers around the hair follicles wereinitially dispersed. The voids between the collagen fibers becamelarger and more fully loose after the processes of bating andpickling. In addition, the collagen fiber wove more orderly andcloser by tanning. In the case of pickling and bating, most of thehair follicle openings were opened, which could abate the chainedforce between hair and the follicles and/or the dermal papilla.