Clinical and Experimental Dermatology

Biography

Biography: Regina Folster-Holst

Abstract

An intact epidermal barrier is essential. On the one hand it ensures hydration of the skin and on the other it prevents penetration of harmful substances from the environment like allergens, infectious agents and pollutants. There are many skin diseases showing defects of the skin barrier, which is localized in the stratum corneum and consists of protein-rich cells and a lipid-enriched intercellular space. Prime examples are atopic dermatitis and ichthyoses. Atopic dermatitis is the result of complex interactions of genetic and environmental factors, which influence the epidermal structure and function, as well as the immune system. Ichthyoses are genodermatoses characterized by scaling and in many cases also by erythroderma. We focus the epidermal barrier in atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis vulgaris and Netherton syndrome. The latter is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of cornification, characterized by the triad of ichthyosis, hair shaft anomalies and atopy. The syndrome is present at birth or soon after with generalized exfoliative erythroderma, with or without an atopic diathesis. The quality of the skin barrier can be assessed by using a new semi-quantitative method to measure intercellular lipid lamellae (lipbarvisR). We used this non-invasive skin sampling technique also to evaluate the influence of emollients and also the topical application of drugs like corticosteroid and calcineurin inhibitors. In addition, we investigate the shape of the corneocytes in the upper SC and we found that the undulation of the corneocyte membranes differs between the investigated skin types. Highly undulated corneocyte membranes were visible in Netherton syndrome, little less undulation of the corneocytes in skin samples with ichthyosis vulgaris, and a lesser extent undulation as in skin samples of AD.