| 1. |
- Stenqvist, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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Membrane permeability based on mesh analysis
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0021-9797 .- 1095-7103. ; 633, s. 526-535
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The main function of a membrane is to control the exchange of matter between the surrounding regions. As such, accurate modeling of membranes is important to properly describe their properties. In many cases in both biological systems and technical applications, the membranes are composite structures where transport properties may vary between the different sub-regions of the membrane. In this work we develop a method based on Mesh analysis that is asymptotically exact and can describe diffusion in composite membrane structures. We do this by first reformulating a generalized Fick's law to include the effects from activity coefficient, diffusion coefficient, and solubility using a single condensed param-eter. We then use the derived theory and Mesh analysis to, in essence, retrieve a finite element method approach. The calculated examples are based on a membrane structure that reassembles that of the brick and mortar structure of stratum corneum, the upper layer of our skin. Resulting concentration profiles from this procedure are then compared to experimental results for the distribution of different probes within intact stratum corneum, showing good agreement. Based on the derived approach we further investigate the impact from a gradient in the fluidity of the stratum corneum mortar lipids across the membrane, and find that it is substantial. We also show that anisotropic organisation of the lipid mortar can have large impact on the effective permeability compared to isotropic mortar lipids. Finally, we examine the effects of corneocyte swelling, and their lateral arrangement in the membrane on the overall membrane permeability.
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| 2. |
- Gunnarsson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Molecular Mobility in Keratin-Rich Materials Monitored by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance : A Tool for the Evaluation of Structure-Giving Properties
- 2023
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Ingår i: Biomacromolecules. - 1525-7797. ; 24:6, s. 2661-2673
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Keratins are structural proteins that are abundant in human skin, nails, and hair, where they provide mechanical strength. In the present study, we investigate the molecular mobilities and structures of three keratin-rich materials with clearly different mechanical properties: nails, stratum corneum (upper layer of epidermis), and keratinocytes (from lower layer of epidermis). We use solid-state NMR on natural-abundance 13C to characterize small changes in molecular dynamics in these biological materials with close to atomistic resolution. One strong advantage of this method is that it detects small fractions of mobile components in a molecularly complex material while it simultaneously gives information on the rigid components in the very same sample. The molecular mobility can be linked to mechanical material properties in different conditions, including hydration or exposure to osmolytes or organic solvents. Importantly, the study revealed that the response to both hydration and addition of urea is clearly different for the nail keratin compared to the stratum corneum keratin. The comparative examination of these materials may provide a better understanding of skin diseases originating from keratin malfunction and contributes to the design and development of new materials.
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| 3. |
- Sparr, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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The stratum corneum barrier - From molecular scale to macroscopic properties
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science. - : Elsevier. - 1359-0294 .- 1879-0399. ; 67
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The upper layer of our skin, the stratum corneum (SC), is a versatile material that combines mechanical strength with efficient barrier function. In this paper, we discuss these macroscopic properties of SC in relation to recent findings on molecular responses and structural diversity in SC protein and lipids. We put particular focus on the intermediate (colloidal) length scale and how the different SC substructures are organized with respect to each other, including effects of nonequilibrium conditions in the skin with respect to the gradients in water and other components.
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