|
Advertisement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Papers In Press, published online ahead of print February 16, 2004 J. Lipid Res., doi:10.1194/jlr.M300484-JLR200
Drug Delivery Technology, LACDR, Leiden NL-2300 RA
Corresponding Author: bouwstra{at}chem.leidenuniv.nl
Lipid lamellae present in the outermost layer of the skin protect the body from uncontrolled water loss. In human stratum corneum (SC) two crystalline lamellar phases are present, which contain mostly cholesterol, free fatty acids and 9 types of free ceramides. Previous studies have demonstrated that the SC lipid organization can be mimicked with model mixtures based on isolated SC lipids. However, those studies are hampered by low availability and high inter-individual variability of the native tissue. In order to elucidate the role of each lipid class in the formation of a competent skin barrier, the use of synthetic lipids would offer an alternative. The small and wide angle X-ray diffraction results of the present study show for the first time that synthetic lipid mixtures, containing only three synthetic ceramides, reflect to a high extent the SC lipid organization. Both an appropriately chosen preparation method and lipid composition promote the formation of two characteristic lamellar phases with repeat distances similar to those found in native SC. From all synthetic lipid mixtures examined, equimolar cholesterol:ceramides:free fatty acids mixtures equilibrated at 80°C resemble to the highest extent the lamellar and lateral SC lipid organization, both at room and elevated temperatures.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Advertisement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||