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NIH Public Access Author Manuscript Nat Rev Microbiol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2013 January 03. Published in final edited form as: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2011 April ; 9(4): 244–253. doi:10.1038/nrmicro2537. The skin microbiome $watermark-text Elizabeth A. Grice and Julia A. Segre Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892–4442, USA. Abstract $watermark-text The skin is the human body’s largest organ, colonized by a diverse milieu of microorganisms, most of which are harmless or even beneficial to their host. Colonization is driven by the ecology of the skin surface, which is highly variable depending on …show more content…

The skin is a continuously selfrenewing organ, and squames are constantly shed from the skin surface as the final stage of terminal differentiation, having begun their migration from the basal layer ~4 weeks earlier12. Invaginations and appendages $watermark-text Cutaneous invaginations and appendages, including sweat glands (eccrine and apocrine), sebaceous glands and hair follicles, are likely to be associated with their own unique microbiota13 (FIG. 1). Eccrine glands, which are more abundant than apocrine glands, are found on virtually all skin surfaces and continuously bathe the skin surface with their secretion, which is composed mainly of water and salt. The primary role of eccrine sweat is thermoregulation through the release of latent heat from the evaporation of water. Additional functions of eccrine glands include excretion of water and electrolytes, and acidification of the skin, which prevents the colonization and growth of microorganisms. Apocrine glands, which are located in the axillary vault (armpit), nipple and genitoanal regions, respond to adrenaline by producing milky, viscous, odourless secretions. Apocrine secretions have long been postulated to contain pheromones, which are molecules that trigger certain behaviours (for example, sexual or alarm) in the receiving individual14. The stereotypical

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