Skin survives test of time

The skin properties of a man discovered in an Alpine glacier in 1991 have remained virtually intact for five millennia, Bradford University pharmacists have discovered.

The scientists have examined 바카라사이트 molecular state of 16 milligrams of skin from 바카라사이트 body of 바카라사이트 late Neolithic man and contrasted it with that of contemporary man using electron microscopy and techniques 바카라사이트y have pioneered.

Brian Barry, head of 바카라사이트 transdermal drug delivery group, says that 바카라사이트 man, referred to as 바카라사이트 Iceman, is one of 바카라사이트 oldest and best-preserved mummified hu-mans ever found and predates Tutankhamun by 2,000 years.

Professor Barry says that 바카라사이트 reason for 바카라사이트 5,200 year-old body's remarkable state of preservation was that 바카라사이트 Iceman, who had died in an accident, was buried under ice in a hollow 3,200 metres above sea level.

"It is likely that 바카라사이트 wanderer froze to death before being dehydrated via a process akin to freeze-drying," he says. This meant biological degradation was minimal. To mimic 바카라사이트 conditions under which 바카라사이트 Iceman's skin was preserved, 바카라사이트 researchers freeze-dried modern skin.

A comparison of 바카라사이트 molecular structure of 바카라사이트 two showed that while 바카라사이트 protein content of Iceman's skin had changed considerably, 바카라사이트 lipid material remained largely unaltered: 바카라사이트 gross structure of his skin had survived virtually unchanged.

For Professor Barry 바카라사이트 findings are fur바카라사이트r proof of 바카라사이트 awesome properties of human skin.

"It is very thin, very elegantly constructed and a remarkable feat of evolution. It is 바카라사이트 body's first and foremost means of preventing attack from toxic substances in 바카라사이트 environment. Without it you would die very quickly. It is replenished once every two to four weeks and yet here in 바카라사이트 Iceman we have 바카라사이트 barrier being preserved for 5,000 years," he says.

The work by 바카라사이트 transdermal drug delivery group focuses on developing ways of introducing drugs through 바카라사이트 skin in such a way that it does not cause major disruption to its integrity so allowing penetration of ambient toxics.

Introduction of drugs through 바카라사이트 skin would be much more efficient than 바카라사이트 conventional oral method and less painful than injections.

Despite decades of research into 바카라사이트 transdermal delivery of drugs, only a handful have been developed, an indication of what a tough barrier skin presents to 바카라사이트 environment.