The Endocrine Function Of The Skin: An Analytical Narrative
October 2023
in “
Apollo medicine
”
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Studysummary This review highlights that the epidermis acts as an endocrine organ, synthesizing and responding to hormones such as corticosteroids and Vitamin D, impacting processes like hair growth and immune response, and participating in regulating endocrine balance. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The review "The Endocrine Function of the Skin: An Analytical Narrative" discusses the skin's role as an endocrine organ, capable of producing and responding to various hormones, including corticosteroids, sex hormones, thyroid hormones, Vitamin D, and growth factors. These hormones influence processes such as hair growth, wound healing, immune response, inflammation, and cell proliferation. The skin also participates in feedback loops and regulates endocrine homeostasis. The document particularly highlights the role of Vitamin D, which is converted into its active form by keratinocytes in the skin's epidermis, contributing to skin homeostasis. Mutations or deletions in Vitamin D receptors and CYP27B1, or issues with permeability barrier formation, can cause overproliferation of basal layer cells. The study concludes that understanding the skin's endocrine function is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic approaches and interventions.
