Chemical penetration enhancement of extracted healthy and diseased skin lipid models

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a multifactorial skin condition affecting up to 20% of children and 3% of adults, leading to a significant reduction in quality of life and substantial costs to the health care system. Pathologically, one of the major effects of AD is a change in the lipid composition of the intercellular lipid matrix of the stratum corneum (SC). In this experiment we aim to extend our understanding of the compositional effects on the structure of SC mimicking lipid multilayers. We will do this by simplifying the fatty acid and cholesterol components and using extracted ceramide fractions from pigskin. By studying the effect of propylene glycol, used extensively in skin formulations as penetration enhancer, we aim also to clarify its mechanism of action, and to pinpoint the SC compositional dependence of its action and of the structural integrity of the skin lipid barrier.