Stearoyl-CoA desaturases are regulators of lipid metabolism in skin

Abstract

The skin is the largest single organ in humans, serving as a major barrier to infection, water loss, and abrasion. Skin is a stratified tissue composed of epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous fat layers. The epidermis is the thinnest of the three layers but is the mitotically most active stratum due to the continued differentiation of keratinocytes into the cornified epithelium exposed to the environment. The dermis is thicker than the epidermis and contains a number of specialized structures such as sweat glands, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands that impart functional diversity to the organ. This layer functions as an insulator, shock absorber, and energy storage depot.