Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 4, 2026

Characterization of In Vitro Differentiation of Human Primary Keratinocytes by RNA-Seq Analysis
07:29

Characterization of In Vitro Differentiation of Human Primary Keratinocytes by RNA-Seq Analysis

Published on: May 16, 2020

5.6K

Efficient keratinocyte differentiation strictly depends on JNK-induced soluble factors in fibroblasts

Marion Schumacher1, Christian Schuster1, Zbigniew M Rogon2

  • 1Division of Signal Transduction and Growth Control, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
|December 17, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Mesenchymal Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are crucial for skin healing. JNK signaling in fibroblasts supports keratinocyte differentiation through secreted factors, essential for effective wound closure.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Wound Healing Research
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • Fibroblast-derived factors and JUN signaling influence keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation in skin wound healing.
  • Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) play a role in skin development and wound closure, as evidenced by studies in JNK-deficient mice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the specific role of dermal Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) in regulating keratinocyte behavior during wound healing.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which fibroblasts influence keratinocyte differentiation via JNK signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a heterologous co-culture model with primary human keratinocytes and murine fibroblasts.
  • Employed temporal transcriptome analysis to monitor gene expression changes in differentiating keratinocytes.
  • Compared keratinocyte behavior with fibroblasts deficient in JNK1 and JNK2.

Main Results:

  • JNK1/JNK2-deficient fibroblasts did not impair keratinocyte proliferation but were essential for efficient keratinocyte differentiation.
  • Loss of JNK signaling in fibroblasts significantly altered the expression of secreted proteins.
  • Efficient keratinocyte terminal differentiation requires continuous JNK-dependent, fibroblast-derived soluble factors.

Conclusions:

  • Mesenchymal JNK signaling is pivotal for the paracrine communication between dermal fibroblasts and epidermal keratinocytes.
  • Fibroblast-derived soluble factors, regulated by JNK, are critical for keratinocyte differentiation during wound healing.
  • This study highlights a key molecular pathway in skin repair, involving fibroblast-mesenchyme-epidermis crosstalk.

More Related Videos

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin10:51

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin

Published on: July 14, 2017

31.7K
Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin10:42

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin

Published on: December 22, 2017

16.7K

Related Concept Videos

Introduction to Fibroblasts01:09

Introduction to Fibroblasts

Rudolph Virchow discovered spindle-shaped cells called fibroblasts in 1858. Inactive fibroblasts, called fibrocytes, become activated by various stimuli, such as growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. Activated fibroblasts play a crucial role in wound healing, inflammation, formation of new blood vessels, and cancer progression. Uncontrolled activation of fibroblasts results in fibrosis, the excess deposition of fibrous tissue, which can lead to scarring and affect normal organs. This...
3.9K
Role of Hematopoietic Growth Factors01:28

Role of Hematopoietic Growth Factors

Hematopoietic growth factors are molecules that regulate the differentiation rate of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Erythropoietin (EPO), primarily produced by the kidneys, plays a crucial role in erythrocyte production. When oxygen levels in the blood are low, EPO is released into the bloodstream, reaching the bone marrow, where it stimulates HSCs to differentiate and mature into erythrocytes, which are vital for oxygen transport.
Thrombopoietin (TPO), mainly released by the liver,...
3.9K
Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells01:12

Renewal 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...
2.4K
Cellular Differentiation00:57

Cellular Differentiation

How does a complex organism such as a human develop from a single cell? It all starts from a single fertilized egg which gives rise to a vast array of cell types, such as nerve cells, muscle cells, and epithelial cells that characterize the adult? Throughout development and adulthood, cellular differentiation leads cells to assume their final morphology and physiology. Differentiation is the process by which unspecialized cells become specialized to carry out distinct functions.
A zygote is a...
5.7K
Stem Cell Niche01:26

Stem Cell Niche

The stem cell niche is the dynamic microenvironment where stem cells reside. Inside these niches, the cells may remain undifferentiated, undergo high self-renewal, or become lineage-specific progenitors. Stem cells coexist with other niche cells, such as stromal cells. They also interact closely with the ECM. Cell-cell and cell-matrix communication occur via adhesion molecules or soluble factors that signal the stem cells and determine their fate. Stromal cells also provide survival signals to...
5.0K
Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming01:29

Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming

Reprogramming alters the gene expression in somatic cells, transforming them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells over several generations. Scientists can reprogram cells by introducing genes for four transcription factors—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) by viral or non-viral methods. These factors are also known as Yamanaka factors after Shinya Yamanaka, who first generated iPS cells using mouse skin cells. Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012...
2.1K