Are corneocytes elastic?
By using a microhandling system, we have recorded the force necessary to elongate isolated corneocytes. According to certain hypothesis, it appears that the elastic modulus of corneocyte is far higher than that of stratum corneum itself. Aggregates of corneocytes are disassembled by forces with a wide range of intensity. In the light of these experiments, stratum corneum appears as a very supple material where the deformations occur more by a plastification of the intercellular medium and an unfolding of the microrelief lines than an elongation of the corneocytes themselves. Moreover, desmosomes remnants could play a certain role in the corneocytes cohesiveness.
Lévêque
J L
JL
Laboratoires de Recherche de l'Oréal, Département de Biophysique, Aulnay-sous-Bois, France.
Poelman
M C
MC
de Rigal
J
J
Kligman
A M
AM
D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D002469:Cell Separation; D004548:Elasticity; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008846:Micromanipulation; D014783:Viscosity