Glucosylceramides (GlcCer) and ceramides (Cer) appear to have opposite effects on epidermal growth and differentiation. Whereas Cer inhibit mitosis and induce terminal differentiation and apoptosis in cultured keratinocytes, GlcCer is mitogenic in young murine epidermis. Using a recently described murine model of chronologic senescence we explored whether GlcCer is mitogenic in aged epidermis. Epidermal GlcCer content increases following topical applications of either conduritol-B epoxide (CBE), an inhibitor of GlcCer hydrolysis, or exogenous GlcCer in a penetration-enhancing vehicle. During chronologic aging in the hairless mouse, baseline epidermal DNA synthesis rates remain normal until 18 mo, but decline significantly at 24 mo. Topical CBE stimulates a 1.5- to 1.9-fold increase in epidermal DNA synthesis in all age groups (i.e., 1-2, 18, and 24 mo). Although the CBE induced increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation in 24 mo old animals is significant (p < 0.01), it is not sufficient to reach the absolute levels reached in similarly treated, younger mouse epidermis. Moreover, topical GlcCer induced mitogenesis is both dose dependent and hexose specific in young (1-2 mo old) animals, and remains effective in aged (< or = 24 mo old) animals. Furthermore, the CBE induced increase in DNA synthesis in aged epidermis is sufficient to produce epidermal hyperplasia. Finally, although an increased GlcCer:Cer ratio can alter stratum corneum barrier function and membrane structure, neither stratum corneum function nor extracellular membrane structure change under these experimental conditions, and therefore the mitogenic effects of increased epidermal GlcCer cannot be attributed to effects on the stratum corneum. These results show that: (i) elevations in endogenous GlcCer are mitogenic for aged as well as young murine epidermis; (ii) topical GlcCer is also mitogenic when delivered in an enhancing vehicle; and (iii) despite the putative importance of epidermal DNA synthesis for barrier homeostasis, these mitogenic alterations do not alter stratum corneum function.