Owing to osmotic gradients, among other factors, the direction of water and glycerol through aquaporins is from the skin to the environment, possibly contributing with skin dehydration, even immediately after hand washing.
These channels may participate in the increase of transepidermal water loss seen in atopic dermatitis and possibly in pompholyx. Aquaporin-3 and aquaporin-10 are normally expressed in the basal layer of the epidermis, and immunohistochemical staining had demonstrated their presence in all epidermal layers in patients with pompholyx.
Aquaglyceroporins can transport water and glycerol.
Aquaporins are channel proteins located on cell membranes that increase their permeability, in particular aquaglyceroporins. Aquaporins have been shown to be expressed in patients with atopic dermatitis and may also be related to exacerbation and chronicity of pompholyx.
