Structure-Function Relationship in Human Skin Stratum Corneum

Abstract

The skin stratum corneum (SC) is an intelligent inter face with a thickness of only ~10 μm, preventing microbes and foreign substances from invading into our body as well as regulating the water loss. Although the mechanism of the substance permeation through the SC has been intensively studied, it is still not conclusive. Here, we introduce some methods developed in our laborator y to clarify the relationship between the substance permeation and the SC structure. In order to analyze the minute structures of the SC collected non-invasively from the human skin, we developed a simple method for ultrathin cr yo-section and a low-flux electron dif fraction method for analysis of molecular packing in the intercellular lipid layer. In addition, we explain about the simultaneous measurement of the structure and the substance permeation by synchrotron X-ray dif fraction and the experiment using ar tificial lipid membranes whose components can be easily controlled.