PARTITION OF FREE AMINO-ACIDS BETWEEN STRATUM-CORNEUM MODEL LIPIDS AND CORNEOCYTES

The partition of free amino acids between stratum corneum model lipids and its corneocytes was determined by analysis of the amino acids aft er equilibration. The amino acid content in the lipids was significant but lower than in the corneocyte part. The presence of amino acids ca used an increase of the penetration of the aqueous solution into the l ipids, a feature that brings the model closer to agreement with the re sults of low angle x-ray diffraction of intact stratum corneum. The pr esence of amino acids also, as expected, gave a better water retaining capacity to the stratum corneum model lipids.