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Journal ArticleDOI

The skin: an indispensable barrier

Ehrhardt Proksch, +2 more
- 01 Dec 2008 - 
- Vol. 17, Iss: 12, pp 1063-1072
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TLDR
Changes in epidermal differentiation and lipid composition lead to a disturbed skin barrier, which allows the entry of environmental allergens, immunological reaction and inflammation in atopic dermatitis.
Abstract
The skin forms an effective barrier between the organism and the environment preventing invasion of pathogens and fending off chemical and physical assaults, as well as the unregulated loss of water and solutes In this review we provide an overview of several components of the physical barrier, explaining how barrier function is regulated and altered in dermatoses The physical barrier is mainly localized in the stratum corneum (SC) and consists of protein-enriched cells (corneocytes with cornified envelope and cytoskeletal elements, as well as corneodesmosomes) and lipid-enriched intercellular domains The nucleated epidermis also contributes to the barrier through tight, gap and adherens junctions, as well as through desmosomes and cytoskeletal elements During epidermal differentiation lipids are synthesized in the keratinocytes and extruded into the extracellular domains, where they form extracellular lipid-enriched layers The cornified cell envelope, a tough protein/lipid polymer structure, resides below the cytoplasmic membrane on the exterior of the corneocytes Ceramides A and B are covalently bound to cornified envelope proteins and form the backbone for the subsequent addition of free ceramides, free fatty acids and cholesterol in the SC Filaggrin is cross-linked to the cornified envelope and aggregates keratin filaments into macrofibrils Formation and maintenance of barrier function is influenced by cytokines, 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate and calcium Changes in epidermal differentiation and lipid composition lead to a disturbed skin barrier, which allows the entry of environmental allergens, immunological reaction and inflammation in atopic dermatitis A disturbed skin barrier is important for the pathogenesis of contact dermatitis, ichthyosis, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis

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Citations
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The caspase-1 inhibitor CARD18 is specifically expressed during late differentiation of keratinocytes and its expression is lost in lichen planus.

TL;DR: The results identify CARD18 as a differentiation-associated keratinocyte protein that is altered in abundance by UV stress and downregulation in lichen planus indicates a potential role in inflammatory reactions of the epidermis in this disease.
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Skin-Directed Therapies in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.

TL;DR: Early stage mycosis fungoides represents the most common clinical presentation of cutaneous lymphoma, with skin-directed therapies long established in its treatment.
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The clinical relevance of filaggrin mutations: Effect on allergic disease

TL;DR: This journal-based CME activity is designed to demonstrate increased knowledge of the clinical treatment of allergy/asthma/immunology and how new information can be applied to their own practices.
Dissertation

Toll-like receptor-mediated inflammatory responses in keratinocytes

TL;DR: It is found polyI:C induced cytotoxicity and proinflammatory responses to be dependent of TLR3 and that this may be inhibited by ODNs, and a promising potential for ODNs in inhibitingTLR3-induced responses in inflammatory skin disorders is seen.
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Investigation of dorsal/ventral skin and the parotoid region of Lyciasalamandra billae and Lyciasalamandra luschani basoglui (Urodela: Salamandridae)

TL;DR: The parotoid region, dorsal and ventral integuments of L. billae and L. luschani basoglui exhibited basic morphological characteristics of other amphibians: the epidermis was composed of a stratified squamous epithelium and the dermis subdivided into stratum spongiosum and stratum compactum.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

The cornified envelope: a model of cell death in the skin

TL;DR: New insights into the molecular mechanisms and the physiological endpoints of cornification are increasing the understanding of the pathological defects of this unique form of programmed cell death, which is associated with barrier malfunctions and ichthyosis.
Journal ArticleDOI

Claudin-based tight junctions are crucial for the mammalian epidermal barrier a lesson from claudin-1–deficient mice

TL;DR: Findings provide the first evidence that continuous claudin-based TJs occur in the epidermis and that these TJs are crucial for the barrier function of the mammalian skin.
Journal ArticleDOI

Claudins and epithelial paracellular transport.

TL;DR: Information is reviewed on the structure, function, and transcriptional and posttranslational regulation of the claudin family as well as of their evolutionarily distant relatives called the PMP22/EMP/MP20/claudin, or pfam00822, superfamily.
Journal ArticleDOI

Barrier Function of the Skin: “La Raison d'Être” of the Epidermis

TL;DR: More sophisticated understanding of epidermal barrier function will lead to more rational therapy of a host of skin conditions in which the barrier is impaired, current work has focused on developing a more physiologic mix of lipids for topical application to skin.
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Trending Questions (1)
How do skin be a physical barrier ?

The skin forms a physical barrier through components such as protein-enriched cells, lipid-enriched intercellular domains, and tight junctions, preventing the invasion of pathogens and the loss of water and solutes.