A comparison of biological activities of a new soya biopeptide studied in an in vitro skin equivalent model and human volunteers.

During aging, the epidermis and dermis become thin and an efficient anti-aging product should be able to stimulate the metabolism of senescent fibroblast and keratinocytes, in order to increase the quantity of extra-cellular matrix components such as collagen and glycosaminoglycans. A study performed in parallel on an in vitro skin equivalent model, and in vivo, with human volunteers, demonstrated the efficacy of one specific soya biopeptide for anti-aging properties. Such a biopeptide induces a significant increase of glycosaminoglycans synthesis in vitro and in vivo after a one-month treatment.

Lipoprotein creams: utilization of multifunctional ingredients for the preparation of cosmetic emulsions with excellent skin compatibility.

Lipoproteins are plant-derived surface-active biopolymers, which act as emulsifying as well as viscosity-enhancing agents in oil-in-water emulsions. Depending on the degree of hydrolization, lipoproteins are dispersible or even soluble in water. In the presence of low to medium polar oils, lipoproteins are adsorbed and align at the oil-water interface, whereas in mixtures with high polar oils the lipoproteins are repelled from the oil-water interface.

Cosmetic efficacy claims in vitro using a three-dimensional human skin model.

A tissue engineered human skin equivalent is successfully used for the testing of raw materials and cosmetic formulations. This reconstructed skin is supported by a collagen-glycosaminoglycan-chitosan biopolymer in which human keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts were co-cultured to form a tissue that closely reproduces the in vivo architecture of normal human skin and takes into account the complex interactions between epidermis and dermis. On the other hand, dermal and epidermal responses can be assessed separately in the dermal or skin equivalent.

Taurine improves epidermal barrier properties stressed by surfactants-a role for osmolytes in barrier homeostasis.

Epidermal barrier function to water loss is maintained by lipid membrane domains located in the interstices of the stratum corneum. Exposure of the epidermis to a dry environment or UV irradiation stimulates barrier lipid synthesis and accumulation of the organic osmolyte taurine in the outermost granular keratinocyte layer. In this work we studied a possible relationship between these two different epidermal responses to environmental challenges.