BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a common disorder caused by a loss of epidermal pigment cells. The pigment cells in the skin and uveal tract are similar in their physiology and morphology and share a common embryologic origin. OBJECT: The purpose of our study was to determine the nature of the relationship between vitiligo and ocular disease. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with vitiligo were examined for ocular abnormalities. RESULTS: There were 17ocular abnormalities our study; 5 fundal focal hypopigmented spots (9.6%), 6 iris pigment clumps(11.5%), and 6 lens opacity(11.5%). CONCLUSION: We believe that vitiligo may affect pigment cells in the eye. Therefore, all patients with vitiligo should have ocular examinations.
Humans ; Iris ; Physiology ; Skin ; Vitiligo*

After healing of burn wound, skin of scar, transplanted skin grafts, and healed donor site wound suffer from temporary or permanent loss of function of sebaceous glands and dysfunction of skin surface lipid film formation, resulting in desiccation, desquamation, and sensitiveness of the skin, making areas of newly formed skin unsatisfactory. Therefore a good rehabilitation may fail. In this paper, the composition, physiochemical properties, and reconstruction of skin surface lipid film are discussed.
Cicatrix ; Lipids ; physiology ; Skin ; pathology ; Skin Transplantation ; Wound Healing

Animals ; Carps ; physiology ; Galvanic Skin Response ; drug effects ; physiology ; Skin ; cytology ; Strychnine ; pharmacology ; Synaptic Transmission ; drug effects ; physiology

Sweat gland is one of the important appendage organs of the skin, which plays an important role in thermoregulation and homeostasis maintenance. Sweat glands are damaged and unable to self-repair after burns, resulting in perspiration disorders eventually. However, current clinical strategies cannot restore the function of the damaged sweat glands effectively. Therefore, it is urgent to seek treatments that can promote the regeneration of sweat glands and restore their normal functions. Stem cells have extensive sources, low immunogenicity, high proliferation capacity, and multi-directional differentiation potential, which have become a focus in the field of regenerative medicine. In recent years, a variety of stem cells have been induced to differentiate into sweat gland-like tissue with certain secretory function, which provides treatment direction for sweat gland regeneration after burns in clinic. This article reviews the recent research advances on the application of stem cells in sweat gland regeneration from the perspectives of the manner by which stem cells transform into sweat gland cells in different environments and their influencing factors.
Cell Differentiation/physiology* ; Regeneration/physiology* ; Skin ; Stem Cells ; Sweat Glands/physiology*

The reconstruction of tactile function during the repair of skin damage caused by factors including burns is inseparable from the functional regeneration of tactile receptor Merkel cells. Merkel cells mainly exist in the basal layer of the epidermis and are closely connected with nerves to form Merkel cell-nerve complexes, which play an important role in biological organisms. A large number of studies have shown that Merkel cells conduct precise transmission of mechanical force stimuli through the mechanically gated ion channels PIEZO2, and perform the function of tactile receptors. In this paper, we discussed the characteristics of Merkel cells and analyzed the different subgroups that may possibly exist in this type of cells and their functions, at the same time, we investigated the animal model research of touch-related diseases and the clinical diseases related to touch, revealing the importance of Merkel cell function research.
Animals ; Ion Channels/metabolism* ; Mechanotransduction, Cellular/physiology* ; Merkel Cells/physiology* ; Skin/metabolism* ; Touch/physiology*

Skin, as the outermost organ in the human body, continuously confronts the external environment and serves as a primary defense system. The protective functions of skin include UV-protection, anti-oxidant and antimicrobial functions. In addition to these protections, skin also acts as a sensory organ and the primary regulator of body temperature. Within these important functions, the epidermal permeability barrier, which controls the transcutaneous movement of water and other electrolytes, is probably the most important. This permeability barrier resides in the stratum corneum, a resilient layer composed of corneocytes and stratum corneum intercellular lipids. Since the first realization of the structural and biochemical diversities involved in the stratum corneum, a tremendous amount of work has been performed to elucidate its roles and functions in the skin, and in humans in general. The perturbation of the epidermal permeability barrier, previously speculated to be just a symptom involved in skin diseases, is currently considered to be a primary pathophysiologic factor for many skin diseases. In addition, much of the evidence provides support for the idea that various protective functions in the skin are closely related or even co-regulated. In this review, the recent achievements of skin researchers focusing on the functions of the epidermal permeability barrier and their importance in skin disease, such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, are introduced.
*Skin Physiology ; Skin Diseases/*metabolism/physiopathology ; Skin/*metabolism ; Permeability ; Humans ; Animals

Skin, as the outermost organ in the human body, continuously confronts the external environment and serves as a primary defense system. The protective functions of skin include UV-protection, anti-oxidant and antimicrobial functions. In addition to these protections, skin also acts as a sensory organ and the primary regulator of body temperature. Within these important functions, the epidermal permeability barrier, which controls the transcutaneous movement of water and other electrolytes, is probably the most important. This permeability barrier resides in the stratum corneum, a resilient layer composed of corneocytes and stratum corneum intercellular lipids. Since the first realization of the structural and biochemical diversities involved in the stratum corneum, a tremendous amount of work has been performed to elucidate its roles and functions in the skin, and in humans in general. The perturbation of the epidermal permeability barrier, previously speculated to be just a symptom involved in skin diseases, is currently considered to be a primary pathophysiologic factor for many skin diseases. In addition, much of the evidence provides support for the idea that various protective functions in the skin are closely related or even co-regulated. In this review, the recent achievements of skin researchers focusing on the functions of the epidermal permeability barrier and their importance in skin disease, such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, are introduced.
*Skin Physiology ; Skin Diseases/*metabolism/physiopathology ; Skin/*metabolism ; Permeability ; Humans ; Animals

One of the differences between fetal and adult skin healing is the ability of fetal wounds heal without contraction and scar formation. Extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a substratum for cells adhesion, migration, and proliferation and can directly influence the form and function of cells. As motility is essential for many important biological events, including wound healing, inflammatory response, embryonic development, and tumor metastasis, this study was designed to compare the motilities cultured dermal fetal and neonatal fibroblasts in the extracellular matrix. The motility of cultured fetal and neonatal fibroblasts was compared using a video-microscopy system that was developed in combination with a self-designed CO2 mini-incubator. To determine migration speed, cells were viewed with a 4X phase-contrast lens and video recorded. Images were captured using a color CCD camera and saved in 8-bit full-color mode. We found that cultured fetal fibroblasts move faster than neonatal fibroblast on type I collagen (fetal fibroblast, 15.1 micrometer/hr; neonatal fibroblast, 13.7 micrometer/hr), and in fibronectin (fetal fibroblast, 13.2 micrometer/hr; neonatal fibroblast, 13.0 micrometer/hr) and hyaluronic acid (fetal fibroblast, 11 micrometer/hr; neonatal fibroblast, 9.8 micrometer/hr).
Cell Movement ; Cells, Cultured ; Comparative Study ; Extracellular Matrix/*physiology ; Fetus/physiology ; Fibroblasts/*physiology ; Human ; Infant, Newborn ; Skin/cytology/*embryology ; *Skin Physiology

OBJECTIVETo discuss the midface aging mechanism through anatomic study of malar fat pad.

METHODS10 fresh adult cadaveric heads (20 sides) fixed by vascular perfusion of formalin were used for anatomic study with microsurgery technique under microscope. The midfacial ligament and connective tissue between skin and subcutaneous fat were observed carefully in different parts of midface. The location, shape and extent of malar fat pad was also recorded and photographed.

RESULTSThe malar fat pad has a triangle shape. The bottom is a curve along the orbicularis retaining ligament at the lower eyelid. The fat pad is extended internally to the nasolabial fold and labiomandibular fold, externally from the major zygomatic muscle end point at the malar surface to the angulus oris and submandibular edge. (2) The malar fat pad is composed of meshed fibrous tissue, with big fat particles in it. It becomes tight when being stretched in horizontal direction along nasolabial fold and loosen when being stretched in vertical direction. (3) There is tight connection between skin and fat pad, which is divided into four areas as I, II, III, IV. The areas I, II, III are strip-shaped parelled to the nasolabial fold. The area IV is a irregular quadrilateral. (4) There are six fixation ligaments between malar fat pad and deep tissue: orbicularis retaining ligament upper layer of lower eyelid, orbicularis retaining ligament substratum of lower eyelid, zygomaticus ligament, zygomatic cutaneous ligament, zygomatic cutaneous ligament substratum, platysma There are four closely connected areas cutaneous forward ligament, cheek maxilla ligament.

CONCLUSIONSbetween the facial skin and malar fat pad which makes malar fat pad and skin keep relatively consistent. The malar fat pad moving down mainly resulted from slack of ligaments support which is one of the reasons for aging face.

Adipose Tissue ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Cadaver ; Cheek ; Eyelids ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Face ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Facial Muscles ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Head ; Humans ; Ligaments ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Lip ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Skin ; anatomy & histology ; Skin Aging ; pathology ; physiology

As a result of the stimulation of proinflammatory mediators, circulating peripheral-blood mononuclear cells migrate into the wound area, and they differentiate into different phenotypes of macrophage to take different roles in healing process. Their phenotypes interchange under different microenvironments. The disturbance of cutaneous environment in diabetic patients has been shown to alter the quantity, morphology, and functions of the macrophages resulting in retardation of wound healing. Healing of intractable diabetic wound can be improved by the supplement of exogenous growth factors, which might improve healing process by regulating the phenotype of macrophage in intractable diabetic wound. This article reviews the relationship between intractable diabetic wound and macrophage to explore new methods of treating intractable diabetic wound.
Diabetes Mellitus ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Macrophages ; physiology ; Skin ; Wound Healing