Figure 3.

Forms of epidermal innate immunity. The skin provides innate immunity via several mechanisms. Structural proteins throughout the skin (C) form the highly structured physical barrier and include collagen in the dermis (1), integrin (2), transglutaminases (3), desmoplankin (4), keratin 1,10 (5), involucrin (6), filaggrin (7), and loricrin (8). Sebum, sweat, and fatty acids on the skin surface (A) provide antimicrobials. The SC (B) contributes structural integrity via barrier lipids, corneodesomosones, and the antimicrobials lysozyme and lactoferrin. Lipids in the lamellar bodies (D) produce SC lipids. Antimicrobial and wound repair properties are conferred by the cytokines and proteins of the differentiating keratinocytes (E). Langerhans cells (LCs) (F) defend the organism if the SC barrier is breached. To see this illustration in color, the reader is referred to the web version of this article at www.liebertpub.com/wound