Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have described the stratum corneum at a molecular level, a novel understanding of the outermost layer of the skin that could lead to significant treatment breakthroughs.
The researchers conducted the study with what they call an entirely new experimental approach that they developed themselves. Dr. Lars Norlén, an associate professor in the Institute’s Dermatology and Venereology Unit, and colleagues rapidly froze skin samples and examined them under a low-temperature electron microscope.
"This has given us an unprecedented opportunity to determine the molecular structure and function of native cells and tissues in situ without having our data muddied by the addition of dyes, solvents or plastics," explains Dr Norlén.
According to the researchers, this research could lead the way to the ability to examine the skin barrier defects that are quite common in skin disorders on a molecular level, a step that would have significant implications for the treatment of skin disease.
"We can now construct computer simulations to help us find out which substances have to be added to different drugs to open up the skin," explains Dr Norlén. "We hope to one day be able to administer regular drugs like insulin and antibiotics this way."
Results of the study were also published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. To see an abstract, please click here.
