title: On the role of the endogenous opioid system in regulating epidermal homeostasis.
abstract: The presence of functional opioid receptors on epidermal keratinocytes, with attendant regulation of keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation, indicates their novel role in maintaining epidermal homeostasis. Expression of proenkephalin precursors and neuropeptide products in the same compartment opens an opportunity for studying the role of this endogenous opioid circuitry, with its regulators, in modulating epidermal barrier function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Health Science Center, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Electronic address: aslominski@uthsc.edu.
authors.forename: Andrzej T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Slominski
mesh_terms: D004817:Epidermis / Q000502:physiology*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D050810:Octamer Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D050810:Octamer Transcription Factors; C484169:POU2F3 protein, human; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases