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Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin
Published on: July 14, 2017
Infant epidermal skin physiology: adaptation after birth
J W Fluhr1, R Darlenski, N Lachmann
1Department of Dermatology, Charité University Clinic, Charité Platz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany. joachim.fluhr@gmx.net
The British Journal of Dermatology
|October 5, 2011
Summary
Human infant skin undergoes dynamic changes in hydration and pH during the first postnatal weeks. These adaptations, including the development of an acidic skin surface pH, are crucial for establishing a fully hydrated stratum corneum (SC).
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Neonatal Physiology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Skin adaptation begins at birth, adjusting to a dry environment over the first year.
- Mammalian skin undergoes significant functional and structural changes post-birth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate in vivo dynamic changes in skin molecular composition and physiology after birth.
- To compare neonatal skin parameters with those of older children and adults.
Main Methods:
- Noninvasive in vivo Raman confocal microscopy assessed stratum corneum (SC) molecular composition and water depth profiles.
- Transepidermal water loss, capacitance, and skin surface pH were measured across six age groups from newborns to adults.
Main Results:
- Skin acidification is ongoing in the first postnatal weeks; newborns have lower SC hydration.
- A decreasing water content gradient towards the skin surface was observed in all age groups, but was less pronounced in newborns.
- Natural moisturizing factor constituents showed dynamic changes during infancy.
Conclusions:
- Acidic skin pH development and stratum corneum (SC) hydration are linked functional adaptations in early human life.
- These findings highlight dynamic physiological changes in neonatal skin barrier function.
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