title: Phase behaviour of skin barrier model membranes at pH 7.4.
abstract: The main function of the skin is to protect the body against exogenous substances. The skin barrier is located in the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum (SC). This layer consists of keratin enriched cells embedded in lipid lamellae that form the main barrier for diffusion of substances through the skin. The main lipid classes in this barrier are ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids. Cholesterol sulfate and calcium are also present in SC. Furthermore it has been suggested that a pH gradient exists. In a previous paper the effect of cholesterol sulfate and calcium on the lipid phase behaviour of mixtures prepared from cholesterol, ceramides and free fatty acids at pH 5 was reported (approximate pH at the skin surface). In the present study the phase behaviour of mixtures prepared from cholesterol, ceramides and free fatty acids prepared at pH 7.4 (the pH of viable cells) has been examined between 25 and 95 degrees C. Our studies reveal that a reversed hexagonal phase has been formed at elevated temperatures. Addition of calcium inhibits the formation of the reversed hexagonal phase, while cholesterol sulfate promotes the presence of the reversed hexagonal phase at increased temperatures. From our results we can conclude that the lipid mixtures prepared at pH 5 resemble more closely the lipid phase behaviour in intact SC than the lipid mixtures prepared at pH 7.4.
authors.affiliation: Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, The Netherlands. Bouwstra@chem.leidenUniv.nl
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bouwsta
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Gooris
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Dubbelaar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponec
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D002518:Ceramides / Q000737:chemistry; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008954:Models, Biological; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D002784:Cholesterol; D002118:Calcium