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Surface Membrane Barriers

Surface Membrane Barriers

The skin and mucous membranes serve as the primary line of defense against pathogens by providing both physical and chemical protection. These barriers are essential in preventing the entry and establishment of microbes, thereby maintaining the integrity of the host.
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Organoid-Derived Epithelial Monolayer: A Clinically Relevant In Vitro Model for Intestinal Barrier Function

Organoid-Derived Epithelial Monolayer: A Clinically Relevant In Vitro Model for Intestinal Barrier Function

Published on: July 29, 2021

Noninvasive test methods for epidermal barrier function.

Bahman Sotoodian¹, Howard I Maibach

¹University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, 2275 Nelson Ave, West Vancouver, BC Canada V7V-2P9. bahmans@interchange.ubc.ca

Clinics in Dermatology

|April 18, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

New noninvasive bioengineering methods allow clinical evaluation of skin products. These techniques assess skin barrier function and detect early subclinical effects without damaging the skin.

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Organoid-Derived Epithelial Monolayer: A Clinically Relevant In Vitro Model for Intestinal Barrier Function

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In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches to Determine Intestinal Epithelial Cell Permeability

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Published on: October 19, 2018

Area of Science:

Bioengineering
Dermatology
Biophysics

Background:

Skin barrier function is crucial for health and product efficacy.
Assessing skin integrity traditionally involves invasive methods.
Noninvasive techniques offer advantages for clinical product evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce novel noninvasive bioengineering techniques for skin evaluation.
To highlight the utility of these methods in assessing product application.
To emphasize early detection of subclinical skin changes.

Main Methods:

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurement.
Stratum corneum water content analysis.
Transcutaneous gas flux (CO2, O2) assessment.
Ion (chloride, potassium, hydrogen) movement studies.

Main Results:

Noninvasive techniques accurately assess skin barrier function.
These methods allow for the evaluation of product effects on the skin.
Subclinical skin alterations can be detected early.

Conclusions:

Bioengineering provides advanced noninvasive tools for skin assessment.
These techniques are valuable for clinical product testing and research.
Early detection of skin changes is possible without barrier disruption.