Getting under the skin of epidermal morphogenesis
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Updated: Aug 31, 2026

Generation of Genetically Modified Organotypic Skin Cultures Using Devitalized Human Dermis
Published on: December 14, 2015
Elaine Fuchs1, Srikala Raghavan
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. lain@midway.uchicago.edu
Abstract:
At the surface of the skin, the epidermis serves as the armour for the body. Scientists are now closer than ever to understanding how the epidermis accomplishes this extraordinary feat, and is able to survive and replenish itself under the harshest conditions that face any tissue. By combining genetic engineering with cell-biological studies and with human genome data analyses, skin biologists are discovering the mechanisms that underlie the development and differentiation of the epidermis and hair follicles of the skin. This explosion of knowledge paves the way for new discoveries into the genetic bases of human skin disorders and for developing new therapeutics.
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