Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 19, 2026
08:49
Cultivating a Three-dimensional Reconstructed Human Epidermis at a Large Scale
Published on: May 28, 2021
13.7K
Hand eczema and stratum corneum ceramides
J M Jungersted1, J K Høgh, L I Hellgren
1Department of Dermatology, Roskilde Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology
|December 6, 2014
Summary
This study found no significant differences in stratum corneum lipids or susceptibility to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) between allergic/irritant hand eczema (HE) and hyperkeratotic HE. Hyperkeratotic HE showed higher severity scores, indicating distinct clinical presentation despite similar barrier properties.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Biochemistry
- Skin Barrier Research
Background:
- Hand eczema (HE) presents diverse morphologies and etiologies, broadly classified as exogenous (allergic/irritant contact dermatitis) and endogenous (hyperkeratotic HE).
- Theoretical differences in skin barrier properties between exogenous and endogenous HE were hypothesized.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for targeted HE management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential differences in stratum corneum (SC) lipid profiles between allergic/irritant HE and hyperkeratotic HE.
- To assess and compare the susceptibility of the SC to irritants in these distinct HE subtypes.
- To correlate clinical severity with objective skin barrier measurements.
Main Methods:
- Stratum corneum (SC) samples were obtained from patients with allergic/irritant HE (n=23) and hyperkeratotic HE (n=15) using cyanoacrylate stripping.
- Lipid profiles were analyzed using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC).
- Skin barrier susceptibility was evaluated by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL) after sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) patch testing; Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) scores were recorded.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed in SC lipid composition between the two HE groups.
- Skin susceptibility to SLS, as measured by TEWL, did not differ significantly between allergic/irritant HE and hyperkeratotic HE.
- Hyperkeratotic HE exhibited significantly higher HECSI scores compared to irritant or allergic HE (P=0.02).
Conclusions:
- The study concludes that allergic/irritant HE and hyperkeratotic HE do not exhibit discernible differences in SC lipid content or susceptibility to SLS.
- Despite similar skin barrier characteristics, hyperkeratotic HE presents with greater clinical severity.
- These findings suggest that factors beyond SC lipids and irritant susceptibility may contribute to the distinct clinical presentations of HE subtypes.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Cells of the Epidermis
9.1K
The epidermis is made of four or five layers of epithelial cells, depending on its location in the body. From deep to superficial, these layers are the stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum, and stratum corneum.
The cells in all these layers except the stratum basale are called keratinocytes, a type of cell that manufactures and stores the protein keratin. The keratinocytes in the stratum corneum are dead and regularly slough away, being replaced by cells from...
The cells in all these layers except the stratum basale are called keratinocytes, a type of cell that manufactures and stores the protein keratin. The keratinocytes in the stratum corneum are dead and regularly slough away, being replaced by cells from...
9.1K
01:21Layers of the Epidermis
11.4K
The epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin, is composed of several distinct layers. From deep to superficial, the layers of the epidermis are as follows:
Stratum Basale
Stratum basale, also known as the stratum germinativum, is the deepest layer of the epidermis. It is composed of a single layer of actively dividing cells called basal cells or basal keratinocytes. These cells constantly undergo cell division to replenish the upper layers of the epidermis. Additionally, melanocytes, which...
Stratum Basale
Stratum basale, also known as the stratum germinativum, is the deepest layer of the epidermis. It is composed of a single layer of actively dividing cells called basal cells or basal keratinocytes. These cells constantly undergo cell division to replenish the upper layers of the epidermis. Additionally, melanocytes, which...
11.4K
01:19Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells
3.4K
Epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) are mainly located at the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells repair minor injuries of the skin and replace dead skin cells. However, EpiSCs’ cannot heal severe wounds such as major burns or those from diabetes or hereditary disorders. In such cases, culturing the epidermal stem cells from the patient is possible and has yielded successful treatment options, such as laboratory-grown skin grafts. These grafts are synthesized using a patient’s own...
3.4K
01:12Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells
3.3K
The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular...
3.3K
01:11Papillary Dermis
7.0K
Dermis
The dermis might be considered the "core" of the integumentary system, as distinct from the epidermis and hypodermis. It contains blood and lymph vessels, nerves, and other structures, such as hair follicles and sweat glands. The dermis is made of two layers of connective tissue that comprise an interconnected mesh of elastin and collagenous fibers, produced by fibroblasts.
Papillary Layer
The papillary layer is made of loose, areolar connective tissue, which means the collagen...
The dermis might be considered the "core" of the integumentary system, as distinct from the epidermis and hypodermis. It contains blood and lymph vessels, nerves, and other structures, such as hair follicles and sweat glands. The dermis is made of two layers of connective tissue that comprise an interconnected mesh of elastin and collagenous fibers, produced by fibroblasts.
Papillary Layer
The papillary layer is made of loose, areolar connective tissue, which means the collagen...
7.0K
01:21Accessory Structures of the Skin: Sebaceous Glands
5.9K
A sebaceous gland is a type of oil gland found almost all over the skin ( except palms and soles) and helps lubricate and waterproof the skin and hair. Most sebaceous glands are associated with hair follicles. They generate and excrete sebum, a mixture of lipids, onto the skin surface, thereby naturally lubricating the dry and dead layer of keratinized cells of the stratum corneum, keeping it pliable.
These glands that produce the oils on the skin and hair are holocrine glands. The mature...
These glands that produce the oils on the skin and hair are holocrine glands. The mature...
5.9K