Epidermal Lipids and Proteins, the Two Components of Skin Barrier

Abstract

Epidermis has protective barrier functions between the organism and the environment. The permeability barrier localized primarily in the stratum corneum (SC) and consists of protein-enriched cells (corneocytes with cornified envelope and cytoskeletal elements, corneodesmosomes) and lipid-enriched intercellular matrix. Recently, it has been suggested that the skin barrier function has three elements including the SC as air-liquid barrier, tight junctions as liquid-liquid barrier and the Langerhans cell network as immunologic barrier. In this review article, we summarize the epidermal lipids and proteins and their correlation with skin barrier structure and function.