Figure 8. Proposed model for rhamnolipid mediated delivery of flagellin across the stratum corneum.

Rhamnolipids released from P. aeruginosa form micelles or vesicles and shed flagellin. Rhamnolipid embedded flagellin penetrates the human stratum corneum and is subsequently released into the living epidermal cell layers. Here flagellin activates keratinocytes (red) and induces the production and release of AMPs, which in turn kill P. aeruginosa.