p16-induced senescence in cultured mast cells as a model for ageing reveals significant morphological and functional changes.

Background: Mast cells (MCs) are tissue resident cells of the immune system, mainly known for their role in allergy. However, mounting evidence indicates their involvement in the pathology of age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and cancer. MC numbers increase in aged tissues, but how ageing affects MCs is poorly understood.

Cosmetic retinoid use in photoaged skin: A review of the compounds, their use and mechanisms of action.

The inevitable attrition of skin due to ultraviolet radiation, termed photoaging, can be partially restored by treatment with retinoid compounds. Photoaged skin in lightly pigmented individuals, clinically presents with the appearance of wrinkles, increased laxity, and hyper- and hypopigmentation. Underlying these visible signs of ageing are histological features such as epidermal thinning, dermal-epidermal junction flattening, solar elastosis and loss of the dermal fibrillin microfibrillar network, fibrillar collagen and glycosaminoglycans.

The impact of irritant challenge on the skin barrier and myeloid-resident immune cells in women who are postmenopausal is modulated by hormone replacement therapy.

Background: Sex hormone changes during menopausal transition contribute to declining skin health. However, how menopause and its treatment by hormone replacement therapy (HRT) impact the skin barrier and immune system is unclear.

Objectives: To examine how menopause and HRT affect the skin barrier and immune cell composition in postmenopausal women following irritant challenge.

Retinoids in the treatment of photoageing: A histological study of topical retinoid efficacy in black skin.

Background: Photoageing describes complex cutaneous changes that occur due to chronic exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The 'gold standard' for the treatment of photoaged white skin is all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA); however, cosmetic retinol (ROL) has also proven efficacious. Recent work has identified that black skin is susceptible to photoageing, characterized by disintegration of fibrillin-rich microfibrils (FRMs) at the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ).