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Published on: April 23, 2017
Low-flux electron diffraction study for the intercellular lipid organization on a human corneocyte
Hiromitsu Nakazawa1, Tomohiro Imai, Ichiro Hatta
1School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Japan. nakazawa@kwansei.ac.jp
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
|February 19, 2013
Summary
Investigating human skin stratum corneum (SC) with low-flux electron diffraction (LFED) revealed lipid packing domain correlations. This technique minimized electron beam damage, detailing structural changes and identifying a novel orthorhombic structure.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biophysics
- Dermatology
Background:
- The human skin stratum corneum (SC) is a crucial barrier layer.
- Understanding SC lipid organization is vital for skin barrier function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the structural organization of human skin stratum corneum (SC) lipids.
- To minimize electron beam damage during structural analysis.
- To characterize lipid packing domains and their correlations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized low-flux electron diffraction (LFED) with high-sensitivity detectors (imaging plate, CCD camera).
- Analyzed small selected areas (0.2μm²) on corneocytes.
- Examined the dependence of diffraction patterns on selected area size.
Main Results:
- LFED minimized electron beam damage, yielding reliable diffraction patterns.
- Orientational correlations between lipid packing domains extended beyond individual domain sizes.
- Electron beam damage induced a three-step decay of the 4.1nm lattice constant peak.
- Evidence suggests an additional orthorhombic structure interacting with known hexagonal and orthorhombic SC lipid structures during decay.
Conclusions:
- LFED is effective for studying SC structure with minimal damage.
- SC lipid domains exhibit long-range orientational order.
- Electron beam damage reveals complex structural transitions in SC lipids, including a potentially novel orthorhombic phase.
