The Physiological Functions of Skin Microecology

The Physiological Functions of Skin Microecology

The normal flora has strong self-stability and can prevent the colonization of foreign bacteria. Under normal circumstances, a dynamic ecological balance is maintained between microorganisms and microorganisms, and between microorganisms and hosts.
1. Participate in skin tissue metabolism
The sebaceous glands secrete lipids, which are metabolized by microorganisms to form an emulsified lipid film. These lipid films contain free fatty acids, also known as acid films, which can neutralize alkaline substances contaminated on the skin and inhibit foreign bacteria (passing bacteria). ), fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms grow, so the primary function of normal skin flora is an important protective effect.
2. Nutritional effect
Over time, the skin has the ability to self-renew, and what people can see with the naked eye is dandruff, which is the gradual transformation of epidermal cells from active and plump keratinocytes into inactive flat cells, the disappearance of organelles, and the gradual keratinization. These keratinized and exfoliated cells are disintegrated into phospholipids, amino acids, etc., which can be used for bacterial growth and absorption by cells. The disintegrated macromolecules cannot be absorbed by the skin, and need to be degraded under the action of skin microorganisms to become small molecular substances to nourish the skin.
3. Immunity
As the first line of defense against foreign pathogens, human skin actively or passively protects the host skin through a variety of mechanisms. One of the important mechanisms of this self-protection is the secretion of antimicrobial peptides inherent in the epidermis.
4. Self-purification
The resident bacteria Propionibacterium and symbiotic bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis in the skin flora decompose sebum to form free fatty acids so that the skin surface is in a slightly acidic state, that is, an acidic emulsified lipid film, which can antagonize the colonization, growth, and reproduction of much passing flora, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus.
5. Barrier effect
The normal microflora is one of the factors that protect the skin against foreign pathogens and is also part of the skin barrier function. The microbiota colonized on the skin in a hierarchical and orderly manner is like a layer of biofilm, which not only plays a role in protecting the exposed epidermis of the body but also directly affects the establishment of colonization resistance, so that foreign pathogens cannot gain a foothold in the body skin surface.