Permeation and Skin Absorption: Reproducibility of Various Industrial Reconstructed Human Skin Models

Abstract

Human reconstructed skin models could be very useful tools to quantify percutaneous permeation and absorption. Before using such models, the reproducibility in the same batch and/or various batches, i.e. the relevance of the results obtained, must be verified. The reproducibility of 3 industrial models – EpiDerm^®, Episkin^® and SkinEthic^® – was tested regarding the permeation and skin absorption of 3 topically applied compounds (with a large range of physicochemical properties): lauric acid, caffeine and mannitol. For all the models, the intrabatch reproducibility was greater than the interbatch reproducibility. According to the batches tested, the larger difference in terms of reproducibility between the 3 models was observed in the case of mannitol, a very poor permeant. In this case, the best reproducibility was observed with EpiDerm and Episkin. Moreover, the rank order of the 3 compounds applied, in terms of permeation and skin absorption, was the same as that expected from ex vivo human skin. Such results revealed human skin models as a promising means to test in vitro permeation and percutaneous absorption of topical products.

Comparison of structure and organization of cutaneous lipids in a reconstructed skin model and human skin: spectroscopic imaging and chromatographic profiling

“…Comparison of the morphology at macroscopic and microscopic levels, analyses of biochemical markers, phototoxicity and irritancy testing have been performed (2,7,(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). These constructs have, however, been demonstrated to be limited as models for human skin barrier function (1,(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21), determined by composition and structure of lipids in the stratum corneum (SC) (22)(23)(24)(25). However, no systematic studies of the structure and organization of cutaneous lipids in RSMs compared with human skin have been presented.…”

Molecular characterization of reconstructed skin model by Raman microspectroscopy: Comparison with excised human skin

“…1,3,5,11,12 These models were characterized and compared by several techniques to natural skin, excised human skin, and animal model skin (rat and pig). 13,14 Among the techniques actually used to study the skin, Raman spectroscopy presents the advantages of being nondestructive, it also allows a real-time structural and molecular analysis, without requiring any sample preparation. The direct accessibility of the skin makes this tissue an interesting field for Raman spectroscopic investigations on a large scale.…”

Keratinocyte Culture Techniques in Medical and Scientific Applications

“…Nevertheless, some differences with respect to the differentiation of the keratinocytes and the exact composition of the fatty acids and ceramides were observed. The same skin equivalents were tested in spite of minor variations they were found suitable for the in vitro testing of permeation and percutaneous absorption of topical products like cosmetic ingredients since the reproducibility of such testing was given (Lotte et al, 2002). On the basis of the aforementioned results, skin equivalents may serve as models for the prediction of human skin irritation, inflammation and toxicity of topically applied substances.…”