Menon Gopinathan K
Avon Products, Inc-Global R&D, Avon Place, Suffern, NY 10901, USA.
Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2002 Nov 1;54 Suppl 1:S3-17. doi: 10.1016/s0169-409x(02)00121-7.
The formation, structural organization, and barrier functions of stratum corneum (SC) are reviewed. Stratum corneum is considered as a composite material and a biopolymer with properties so unique as to consider it a 'smart material'. SC, together with stratum granulosum (SG) responds (as an actively smart material) to environmental signals with appropriate modulations in its barrier properties. Current theories on the mode of barrier formation, validity of use of animal models and ex vivo human skin in studies of percutaneous absorption, as well as its implications in development of transdermal systems (TDS) are discussed. Potential pitfalls in extrapolating from animal data and the use of cadaver skin/epidermal membranes in evaluations of TDS are also stressed.
本文综述了角质层（SC）的形成、结构组织和屏障功能。角质层被视为一种复合材料和生物聚合物，其特性独特，堪称“智能材料”。角质层与颗粒层（SG）一起（作为一种主动智能材料），通过适当调节其屏障特性来响应环境信号。本文讨论了目前关于屏障形成模式的理论、在经皮吸收研究中使用动物模型和离体人皮的有效性及其在透皮系统（TDS）开发中的意义。同时也强调了从动物数据推断以及在TDS评估中使用尸体皮肤/表皮膜的潜在陷阱。
