21. This series of steps is repeated numerous times to traverse the full thickness of the stratum corneum . 22. Pregnant female mites tunnel into the stratum corneum of a host's skin and deposit eggs in the burrows. 23. Sebum may act as a delivery system for antioxidants, antimicrobial lipids, pheromones, and hydration of the stratum corneum . 24. Corneocytes in the lower part of the stratum corneum are bridged together through specialized junctions ( corneodesmosomes ). 25. Corneocytes are embedded in a matrix of specialized lipids that constitute approximately 20 % of the stratum corneum volume. 26. Filaggrin undergoes further processing in the upper stratum corneum to release free amino acids that assist in water retention. 27. Stratum corneum lipids are elaborately organized into lamellar structure, which plays the most important role for skin's barrier functions.28. Concomitantly, cells lose their nuclei and organelles causing the granular cells to become non-viable corneocytes in the stratum corneum . 29. Patients with rosacea have elevated levels of cathelicidin and elevated levels of stratum corneum tryptic enzymes ( SCTEs ). 30. The permeability properties of the stratum corneum are, for the most part, unchanged after its removal from the body.
