Using THz-ATR Spectroscopy for Detecting Mimicked Interstitial Fluid Flow in ex vivo Skin

Biomolecular detection in the skin’s interstitial fluid (ISF) based on THz-ATR spectroscopy holds a plethora of applications and several challenges, both from an experimental and a computational point of view. We propose an experimental procedure for embedding a liquid solution in ex vivo pig skin samples that mimics the ISF’s flow from the hypodermis to the viable epidermis. The contrast is shown in the reflectivity and the reproducibility is assessed with respect to sources of variability in the experimental procedure. An optimized protocol represents a steppingstone to further studies towards in vivo THz biosensing.