Trace metals in keratinising epithelia in beagle dogs.

The concentrations of the trace elements zinc, copper and iron and the minerals calcium and magnesium were measured in keratinising epithelia from 12 beagle dogs. The richly vascular tissues of the snout and tongue that showed parakeratotic changes, contained the highest concentrations of iron, zinc and copper. Zinc, calcium and magnesium concentrations were high in the pressure keratinisation tissue of the footpad. There was a high concentration of calcium in the nose tip. The thin skin of the back contained the lowest concentration of all five elements.