Skin barrier function and its regulation in terms of epidermal molecular structure

Abstract

The most important structure for the maintenance of epidermal barrier function between air and water environments is the lipid lamellar layer in the stratum corneum (StC). It is epidermal keratinocytes that generate this lipid layer and maintain it in StC, which is in tern generated by keratinization of keratinocytes. To hold lipid layers in StC in a flexible and stead way, keratinocytes integrate different junctions, as such desmosome, tight, gap and adherens, desmosome and adherens junction of which are associated with cytoskeletons, into the epidermal sheet and these junctions regulate keratinaization. The molecular defects of these junctions and keratinization exert impairments of epidermal barrier function. The control of these molecules may provide us with a clue for the control of DDS. © 2007, THE JAPAN SOCIETY OF DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM. All rights reserved.