Abstract
In the skin, the epidermis is continuously exposed to various kinds of external substances and stimuli. Therefore, epidermal barriers are crucial for providing protection, safeguarding health, and regulating water balance by maintaining skin homeostasis. Disruption of the epidermal barrier allows external substances and stimuli to invade or stimulate the epidermal cells, leading to the elicitation of skin inflammation. The major components of the epidermal barrier are the stratum corneum (SC) and tight junctions (TJs). The presence of zinc in the epidermis promotes epidermal homeostasis; hence, this study reviewed the role of zinc in the formation and function of the SC and TJs. Langerhans cells (LCs) are one of the antigen-presenting cells found in the epidermis. They form TJs with adjacent keratinocytes (KCs), capture external antigens, and induce antigen-specific immune reactions. Thus, the function of zinc in LCs was examined in this review. We also summarized the general knowledge of zinc and zinc transporters in the epidermis with updated findings.
Highlights
The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin and is continuously exposed to various kinds of external substances and stimuli that can lead to potential harm
The importance of preserving epidermal homeostasis is evidenced by a reduction in the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) when moisturizer is applied to the skin during the neonatal period [1, 2]
Epidermal barrier homeostasis is the first line of defense for preventing the initiation of atopic march
Summary
The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin and is continuously exposed to various kinds of external substances and stimuli that can lead to potential harm. To counteract these risks and maintain homeostasis, the epidermis provides a barrier against the external environment. The dysregulation of epidermal Zn levels due to nutritional deficiency or genetic abnormalities of Zn transporters affects various enzymatic reactions, transcriptional activities, and Zn finger protein functions in the epidermis, leading to the disruption of skin homeostasis [18,19,20]. We summarize the function of Zn and Zn transporters in the epidermis and epidermal cells
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