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KMID : 0984920110130010014
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Journal of Skin Barrier Research
2011 Volume.13 No. 1 p.14 ~ p.19
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Basic Concept and Components of Skin Barrier
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Hong Seung-Phil
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Abstract
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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 within our body. Two compartment model, also called as ``bricks and mortar model`` has been the best explanation for the structure of epidermal permeability barrier. It consists of protein-enriched cells as bricks (corneocytes with cornified envelope and cytoskeletal elements, as well as corneodesmosomes) and lipid-enriched intercellular domains as mortar. During epidermal differentiation lipids are synthesized in the keratinocytes and extruded into the extracellular domains, where they form extracellular lipid-enriched layers. The lipids that constitute the extracellular matrix have a unique composition and are 50% ceramides, 25% cholesterol, and 15% free fatty acids. The cornified cell envelope, a tough protein-lipid polymer structure, resides below the cytoplasmic membrane on the exterior of the corneocytes. Ceramides 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 stratum corneum. Changes in epidermal differentiation and lipid composition lead to a disturbed skin barrier, which is important for the pathogenesis of contact dermatitis, ichthyosis, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. This review introduces an overview of major components of the skin barrier, explaining how barrier function is regulated.
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KEYWORD
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Epidermal permeability barrier, Cornified envelope, Ceramide, Intercellular Lipid Lamellae
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