The effect of Ca2+cations and cholesteryl sulfate on the human skin barrier model

Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Biophysics and Physical Chemistry Author: Aneta Kelemanová Supervisor: Mgr. Petra Pullmannová, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: The effect of Ca2+ cations and cholesteryl sulfate on the human skin barrier model The structure and composition of the outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum, form a skin barrier to transepidermal water loss. The main components of the stratum corneum are corneocytes and the intercellular lipid matrix. The intercellular lipid matrix is a mixture of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. Cholesterol esters, such as cholesteryl sulfate, are also present. This unique lipid mixture forms a multilamellar layer with short and long crystalline phases with periodicities of approximately 6 and 13 nm. A separated cholesterol phase with a periodicity of about 3,4 nm can also be found in the stratum corneum. The most common lateral packing of the lipid mixture is orthorhombic. Hexagonal or fluid packing is less common. The aim of this diploma thesis was to optimize the conditions for spontaneous arrangement of the isolated human skin lipids in an aqueous medium with the addition of Ca2+ cations and cholesteryl sulfate. A human skin barrier model was created from the prepared lipid dispersion..