Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin
Published on: December 22, 2017
Similar appearance, different mechanisms: xerosis in HIV, atopic dermatitis and ageing
Meike Mischo1, Laura B von Kobyletzki, Erik Bründermann
1Physical Chemistry II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Abstract:
Xerosis is one of the most common dermatologic disorders occurring in the elderly and in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Xerosis has been linked to an impaired skin barrier function of the stratum corneum. Using Raman microspectroscopy, we concentrated on deeper skin layers, viable epidermis and dermis of 47 volunteers and associated molecular alterations to the evolution of xerosis and the skin barrier, for example, lipid, water and antioxidant content. A decrease in lipids within the viable epidermis is found for elderly and HIV-patients. Lipid and water values of AD patients and their healthy reference group are similar. Decreases in lipids and simultaneous increases in water are found in the dermis for HIV and AD patients in comparison to their healthy reference groups. Excessive levels of epidermal carotenoids, mainly lycopene, in HIV-patients were found potentially leading to adverse effects such as premature skin ageing.
Related Concept Videos
The Effect of Aging on Tissues
Skin Diseases and Disorders
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Accessory Structures of the Skin: Sebaceous Glands
These glands that produce the oils on the skin and hair are holocrine glands. The mature...
The Skin Microbiota
Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells
