TY - JOUR
T1 - Skin structure and function
T2 - The body's primary defense against infection
AU - Brodell, Lindsey A.
AU - Rosenthal, Kenneth S.
PY - 2008/3/1
Y1 - 2008/3/1
N2 - The skin serves as a wall-like barrier to separate and protect the inside of our body from the microbial enemies of the environment and provide a primary defense against infection. The layers of the skin, like the outer wall and secondary inner walls surrounding a medieval city, not only provide protection from external enemies, but also provide niches where normal flora bacteria and fungi can live and conduct business. The structure of the skin and its antimicrobial properties are presented with a discussion of examples of microbes that overcome these protections to cause disease.
AB - The skin serves as a wall-like barrier to separate and protect the inside of our body from the microbial enemies of the environment and provide a primary defense against infection. The layers of the skin, like the outer wall and secondary inner walls surrounding a medieval city, not only provide protection from external enemies, but also provide niches where normal flora bacteria and fungi can live and conduct business. The structure of the skin and its antimicrobial properties are presented with a discussion of examples of microbes that overcome these protections to cause disease.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=40949146168&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=40949146168&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/IPC.0b013e3181660bf4
DO - 10.1097/IPC.0b013e3181660bf4
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:40949146168
SN - 1056-9103
VL - 16
SP - 113
EP - 117
JO - Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice
JF - Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice
IS - 2
ER -