Abstract:

In addition to regulating water in and out of the body, epidermal permeability barrier function also plays important roles in regulating other cutaneous functions including cutaneous inflammation, epidermal proliferation, pH and ions, etc. Therefore, maintaining epidermal permeability barrier function at optimal level could prevent onset of some skin diseases; improving epidermal permeability barrier function could have beneficial effects in treating some skin disorders.

Key words: epidermal permeability barrier function, proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, skin.