Autophagy: Guardian of Skin Barrier

The document "Autophagy: Guardian of Skin Barrier" discusses the role of autophagy, a cellular degradation process, in maintaining skin health and its implications in various skin diseases. Autophagy supports the function of keratinocytes and various skin immune cells, and is crucial in maintaining active hair growth and promoting the differentiation of hair follicle stem cells. In alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease causing hair loss, autophagy-related genes have been associated with the disease. The document also suggests that autophagy modulators combined with conventional therapies may improve treatment strategies for skin diseases like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. However, the exact role of autophagy in these conditions is still under investigation.