Skin Barrier Function and Hydration

One of the most important functions of our integument is a barrier function. The barrier function of skin can control the trans-epidermal evaporation of such essential elements as water, ions and amino acids and protect our body from invasion of a variety of allergens or external stress factors.

Skin hydration is mostly linked to the skin barrier function and is important for maintaining a healthy skin barrier. The role of a moisturizing skin care product is to act on skin surface to physically limit water loss (occlusive effect) or to act at the cellular level.

Suitable skin care products, such as skin barrier-repairing ingredients or moisturizer and etc., can help protect our skin, and can help restore skin’s barrier from skin with a compromised barrier function.

Creative Bioarray provides in vitro 3D skin tissue models and evaluation assays performed for cosmetic efficacy and claims support of reinforcing skin barrier function and hydration.

Skin Barrier Function and Hydration Skin Structures

Your Needs

Need to screen cosmetic formulations for skin moisturizing
To screen optimal cosmetic formulations for reinforcement of skin barrier function
To evaluate hydrating properties of active compounds or cosmetic products such as moisturizers including creams, gels and lotions.

Our Capability

In vitro 3D skin models available

Screening assays available

Evaluating hydrating effects of active compounds
Evaluating moisturizing effects of different formulations

Endpoints

Measuring the electrical impedance of the tissue surface
Epidermal differentiation: filaggrin, involucrin, transglutaminase, cytokeratins
Lipid: sebaceous lipids, epidermal lipids such as ceramides, cerebrosides and phospholipids
Epidermal extracellular matrix components: glycosaminoglycans and hyaluronic acid, proteoglycans and ECM receptors, proteases
Markers of epidermal cohesion and intercellular cell junctions: occluding junctions and attachment proteins, such as claudin, occludin, desmogleins; dermoepidermal junction, such as integrin V, collagen IV, collagen VII; gap junctions such as connexins; and molecular channels such as aquaporins.

Techniques