Regulation of the epidermal barrier in the formation of atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma in children

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by xerosis, pruritus, and erythematous eruptions accompanied by increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL). In the 1990s, researchers Elias and Taieb were among the first to suggest that a breakdown in the epidermal barrier may be the primary link in the pathogenesis of AD (Elias et al. 1999; Taieb 1999). At that time, most of the research was focused on the immune response in AD (Williams, 2000).