Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
10:37
Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition occurs after epidermal development in mouse skin
Wuyi Kong1, Shaowei Li, Cheng Liu
1Children's Surgical Research Laboratory, Stanford University School of Medicine, 257 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-5148, USA. wkong@stanford.edu <wkong@stanford.edu>
Experimental Cell Research
|October 10, 2006
Summary
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs during mouse skin development, with specific markers appearing in dermal cells. This study provides the first in vivo evidence of EMT contributing to dermal cell origins.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial biological process involved in development and disease.
- Understanding EMT during skin development is essential for regenerative medicine and understanding skin pathologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of EMT in mouse skin development.
- To identify the cellular origins of dermal cells during embryonic and postnatal development.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of fetal and postnatal mouse skin serial sections.
- Immunohistochemical staining for EMT markers: E-cadherin, occludin, ZO-1, alpha-SMA, fibronectin, and vimentin.
- Confocal microscopy to examine intracellular protein localization during EMT.
Main Results:
- E-cadherin, occludin, and ZO-1 expressing cells were observed in the dermis from E18.5 to P9, peaking from P2 to P5.
- Co-expression of E-cadherin and alpha-SMA was detected in dermal cells between P2 and P6.
- Fibronectin was detected early (E15.5), with limited co-expression with E-cadherin on P5. Vimentin was primarily in endothelial and blood cells, not co-expressed with E-cadherin.
- Confocal microscopy revealed intracellular E-cadherin and membrane-to-cytosol alpha-SMA translocation during EMT.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first in vivo evidence of EMT during mouse skin development.
- Dermal cells originate from EMT and other sources, including blood cells.
- The findings offer insights into the cellular dynamics of skin morphogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.
Related Concept Videos
01:12Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells
The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular cells,...
01:19Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that can differentiate into most connective tissue cell types, except for hematopoietic cells, depending upon the source of MSCs. For example, bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) can differentiate into osteocytes, hepatocytes, and pancreatic and neuronal cells. MSCs can be isolated from various sources such as bone marrow, placenta, adipose tissue, teeth, and Wharton’s jelly, a gelatinous substance in the umbilical cord. The ease of their access...