Quality of skin as a barrier to ultra-fine particles

Objective

Today' s population is increasingly exposed to ultrafine particles (<20 nm; e.g. Aerosil, TiO2) contained in body care and household products. Tape stripping studies and recent ion microscopy pilot studies revealed that such particles in, liposomal formulations penetrate the horny layer with large concentrations at the stratum granulosum and the possible risk of further penetration into vital tissue, especially for skin with an impaired barrier function. Here, apart from electron microscopy, high-resolution ion-microscopy techniques will be employed on skin cross-sections from biopsies (pig, human), which yield elemental maps of both the epidermis and dermis with ppm sensitivity for Ti or higher sensitivity with radiotracers (labelled TiO2) on pig skin. Pathways for percutaneous uptake and clearance will be studied. If such particles penetrate into the dermis, in-situ studies of tissue and in-vitro studies of particle-cell interactions follows.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › physical sciences › optics › microscopy › electron microscopy

Programme(s)

• FP5-LIFE QUALITY - Specific Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Quality of life and management of living resources", 1998-2002

Topic(s)

• 1.1.1.-4. - Key action Environment and Health

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

UNIVERSITAET LEIPZIG

Address

Linnestrasse 5
04103 Leipzig
Germany

Participants (6)

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE

France

Address

Rue Michel Ange 3
75794 Paris

Links

INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO E NUCLEAR

Portugal

Address

Estrada Nacional 10
2686-953 Sacavem

JAGIELLONIAN UNIVERSITY

Poland

Address

St..anna's Street 8
31 008 Krakow

THE HENRYK NIEWODNICZANSKI INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Poland

Address

152,radzikowskiego 152
31 342 Krakow

UNIVERSITE DE BORDEAUX I

France

Address

Cours De La Libération 351
33405 Talence

UNIVERSITY OF DEBRECEN

Hungary

Address

Nagyerdei Krt. 98
4012 Debrecen