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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin
Published on: March 31, 2011
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex: evidence in two families for keratin gene abnormalities
J M Bonifas1, A L Rothman, E H Epstein
1Department of Dermatology, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California 94110.
Abstract:
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) is characterized by skin blistering due to basal keratinocyte fragility. In one family studied, inheritance of EBS is linked to the gene encoding keratin 14, and a thymine to cytosine mutation in exon 6 of keratin 14 has introduced a proline in the middle of an alpha-helical region. In a second family, inheritance of EBS is linked to loci that map near the keratin 5 gene. These data indicate that abnormalities of either of the components of the keratin intermediate filament heterodipolymer can impair the mechanical stability of these epithelial cells.
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