Skin constitutes an excellent barrier for the transdermal delivery of hydrophilic or high molecular weight drugs. Low efficacy demonstrated in clinical trials for some topical drugs is mainly due to low skin penetration ability related to the efficient barrier properties of stratum corneum (SC). Transdermal delivery of molecules in the skin is limited by the full epidermis, not just stratum cor...

It is becoming increasingly clear that leptin is not only a hormone regulating energy homeostasis but also a neurotrophic factor impacting a number of brain regions, including the hippocampus. Although leptin promotes the development of GABAergic transmission in the hypothalamus, little is known about its action on the GABAergic system in the hippocampus. Here we show that leptin modulates GABA...

Oral mucosa is composed of a stratified epithelial layer and underlying connective tissue. The structure of the oral mucosa and the connection of the epithelial layer to the underlying connective tissue are highly variable, depending on the intraoral region. The structural features of the different types of intraoral mucosa develop during the fetal period. Human gingival epithelium consists of ...

The primary defence mechanism of fish exposed to an infectious or damaging agent is the physical barrier of skin, gills and gastrointestinal tract and their protection mechanisms associated with the innate immune defence system, the mucosal epithelium. Mucus production helps to protect these physical barriers by acting as a diffusion barrier and lubricant whose function is to protect the epithe...

Lipid and protein components of the stratum corneum (SC) are organized in complex supramolecular arrangements. Exploring spatial relations between various possible substructures is important for understanding the barrier function of this uppermost layer of epidermis. Here, we report the first study where micro-focus X-ray scattering was used for assessing fine structural variations of the human...

Preparations representing populations of (a) basal and spinous cells, (b) granular cells, and (c) stratum corneum cells were obtained by successive treatments of epidermal slices from pig skin with dilute buffered trypsin solutions. Total lipids accounted for about 8% of the cell dry weight in each of the three populations. Phospholipids, which predominated in the basal and spinous cells, accou...

PURPOSE VNP40101M (Cloretazine), a novel DNA alkylating agent, was evaluated in a phase I study in children with recurrent brain tumors. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN VNP40101M was given i.v. daily for 5 consecutive days every 6 weeks for up to eight cycles. Dose escalation was done independently in patients stratified based on intensity of prior therapy (moderately pretreated, stratum I; heavily pretr...

The intercellular lipid regions in the stratum corneum (SC), the outermost layer of the skin, form the major barrier for diffusion of substances through the skin. The barrier function of in vitro reconstructed epidermis is still impaired. With respect to further optimization of the model, it is necessary to characterize its stratum corneum lipid structure. In this study, small and wide angle X-...

Long-term potentiation of synaptic responses in the hippocampus is a unique form of physiological plasticity which can be induced by brief episodes of repetitive afferent activity and which can persist for days or months. The present study describes cooperative (or associative) interactions among afferents to the stratum radiatum of CA1 for the induction and maintenance of this phenomenon. A gr...

The thin skin of the left upper quadrant of the human abdomen has been studied by electron microscopy. Tissue removed with a high speed rotary punch was fixed in osmium tetroxide or potassium permanganate. The latter fixative in our preparations is superior to osmium for the demonstration of epidermal cell membranes and certain other membranous structures of the epidermis. The cytoplasmic membr...