Published in:
01-09-2016
Metabolism and skin diseases
Authors:
Christos C. Zouboulis, Constantine A. Stratakis, George P. Chrousos, Christian A. Koch
Published in:
Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
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Issue 3/2016
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Excerpt
Metabolic processes play an essential role in the development and physiological function of human skin [
1,
2]. Thus, human skin cells contain hormone-specific receptors and are targets of several hormones exerting various effects [
2]. From the viewpoint of modern endocrinology, however, the skin is not only regarded as a recipient of signals from distant glands. It is also an organized cell community, in which cells use molecular signals with endocrinologic/metabolic functions for (a) local intercellular communication (intracrinology) and (b) transmission of information to the other organs of the body. Indeed, hormones are activated in the skin cells and are released into the systemic circulation. Given its dimensions (2 m
2, 8–10 kg), the skin represents a quite large gland of the human organism [
2]. …
