The Physics of Stratum Corneum Lipid Membranes

Peter Olmsted(Department of Physics, Georgetown University)

The skin is a remarkable organism. The outer 40-100 microns constitute a protective layer, the Stratum Corneum, which is a composite material of keratin bodies (10-100 microns) embedded in a matrix of lipid bilayers. These bilayers are very different from the fluid phospholipid bilayers familiar from the plasma membrane that surrounds living cells, or that constitute organelles such as the Golgi Apparatus and Endoplasmic Reticulum. I will discuss the physical properties of these fascinating materials which we have studied using extensive Molecular Dynamics simulations, and indicate how special features such as asymmetric lipids and extensive hydrogen bonding give are essential for humidity control, flexibility, and biological function of skin, and help make skin the remarkable self-healing material that it is.

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