The epidermis is a keratinised, layered, squamous epithelium. Its thickness ranges from 0.5 to 3mm. depending on its location. Being the most external layer of the skin, it is obviously an important place for microbial colonization.

The most common cell of the epidermis (comprising about 90% of all the cells of the skin) is the keratinocyte. New keratinocytes are continually being created in the stratum basale. When they are moved towards the surface, they undergo a process known as keratinization.

This implies the production of a unique protein called keratin, and the subsequent death of the cell. The dead keratinized cells (known as squames) comprise the outer layers of the epidermis with lipids that fill the intercellular spaces and are slowly sloughed off - a process called desquamation. It has been calculated that the skin surface of the average adult is composed of about 2 x 10 (9) squames. It takes between 2 and 4 weeks for the transfer of a cell from the basal layer to the external layer of the skin, and as a consequence of this mechanism, it has been calculated that the stratum corneum is entirely renewed every 15 days.

The keratin present in cells protects the underlying tissues against heat, chemicals, and microbes. Melanocytes are the next most typical cells of the epidermis. These have long thin projections that produce a dark pigment called melanin. This pigment is then moved to the keratonicytes where it blocks ultraviolet rays, thus protecting the skin against its damaging effects, and preventing further actinic keratosis symptoms. The only other cells observed in the epidermis are Langerhans cells (which are part of the immune response to microbial invaders) and Merkel cells (which are associated with sensory neurons and are involved in the sense of touch).

Your skin and the production of acne

The dermis has a highly intricate structure that consists of:

1) Connective tissue including collagen and elastin fibers giving the skin tone; 2) Tiny finger-like projections (papillae) which protrude into the epidermis and contain nerve endings sensitive to touch, heat and pain; 3) Hair follicles; 4) Arrector pili muscles for coordinating hair movement; 5) Sebaceous glands; 6) Sudoriferous glands; 7) Nerves; 8) Adipose tissue; and 9) Capillaries and veins.

Being aware of the bodily process behind acne problems is important in the search for solutions. On the keratin invested follicle canal, where the sebaceous glands reside, Proprionibacterium bactaria exists in symbiosis, feasting on and changing the sebum produced by the sebocytes cells before it submerges on the surface of the skin. The nascent sebum is largely lipid in composition and also contains DNA, RNA, proteins, and other cell components that result from the rupture of sebocytes themselves. Proprionibacterium acne is observed only in sebaceous rich areas.

If the substrates in the follicular canals augment due to an active and large sebaceous system and sebum does not evacuate adequately out of the canals, then colonization and high growth rates of Proprionibacterium acne will appear. The resident bacterial flora creates biologically active molecules such as histamine, extracellular enzymes and peptides, which may initiate the inflammatory reaction that characterizes acne breakouts.

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