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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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Barrier properties of human skin equivalents : rising to the surface

TL;DR: Investigation of the lipid composition reveals that all HSEs have an increased presence of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and reduced total fatty acid content compared to human SC, which most likely is responsible for the reduced density in lipid organization.
Journal ArticleDOI

Desmosomes in Developing Human Epidermis

TL;DR: The aim of this review is to focus on the development of human skin with special emphasis on desmosomes, where desmosomal development is mirrored in perspective with other simultaneous events, such as maturation of adherens, tight and gap junctions, and the basement membrane zone.
Journal ArticleDOI

Current Status of Healthy Human Skin Models: Can Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Potentially Improve the Present Replacement Models?

TL;DR: The effects of HDACi on healthy human primary skin cell cultures and three-dimensional epidermal models are addressed and it is shown that these molecules might be an interesting tool for the development and study of new human skin models.
Journal ArticleDOI

Skin Barrier Protection

TL;DR: The link between skin barrier dysfunction and atopic dermatitis is made, and prevention strategies are presented and include appropriate skin care routines, avoiding allergic triggers, and regular use of emollients to improve the skin barrier function.
Journal ArticleDOI

Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis: Focus on the Epidermal Differentiation Complex

TL;DR: It is hypothesize that psoriasis could be the result of an interplay of immunological mechanisms and deficient repair of skin barrier integrity, and demonstrate that in addition to immune mechanisms, genetic variation ofskin barrier genes contribute to major skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and psOriasis.
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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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.