Determination of fatty acid and sphingoid base composition of eleven ceramide subclasses in stratum corneum by UHPLC/scheduled-MRM.

Introduction: Ceramides play a key role in skin barrier function in homeostatic and pathological conditions and can be sampled non-invasively through stratum corneum collection.

Objectives: To develop a novel UHPLC/Scheduled MRM method for the identification and relative distribution of eleven classes of ceramides, which are separated by UHPLC and determined by their specific retention times. The precise composition of the fatty acid and sphingoid base parts of each individual ceramide is determined via mass fragmentation.