An in vitro Pig Skin Model for Predicting Human Skin Penetration and Irritation Potential

Percutaneous absorption is a complex process by which molecules traverse the stratum corneum or barrier layer of skin, pass through the viable layers and finally leave via the skin’s microcirculation. When the penetrant is directly toxic to the skin, a more complicated series of events can lead to skin irritation. However, if a substance cannot reach the viable layers of the skin, irritation will not result. If we can identify which factors are the most important for predicting skin penetration potential, we will establish some of the necessary conditions for toxic events subsequent to penetration of the barrier layer.