A Review of Atomic-Force Microscopy in Skin Barrier Function Assessment

Area of Science:

• Dermatology and Biophysics

Background:

• Skin barrier function (SBF) disorders affect many globally, causing debilitating symptoms like itch and lesions.
• Current symptom-based assessments have limitations in accurately evaluating SBF disorder severity and treatment efficacy.
• Understanding and quantifying skin barrier impairment is crucial for personalized treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the anatomy of the skin barrier.
• To describe atomic-force microscopy (AFM) as a quantitative tool for monitoring SBF disorders.
• To highlight the relevance of AFM in SBF disorder research and clinical application.

Main Methods:

• Review of anatomical aspects of the skin barrier.
• Description of atomic-force microscopy principles and application in SBF disorder assessment.
• Synthesis of existing studies demonstrating AFM's utility.

Main Results:

• AFM provides quantitative data on skin barrier integrity.
• Studies reviewed show high relevance of AFM for SBF disorder research.
• AFM can effectively monitor treatment response and potential adverse reactions.

Conclusions:

• Atomic-force microscopy is a powerful technique for quantitative assessment of skin barrier function disorders.
• AFM's ability to monitor treatment efficacy and personalize care is significant.
• The adoption of AFM into clinical settings is encouraged for improved patient management.