Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 29, 2026
08:49
Cultivating a Three-dimensional Reconstructed Human Epidermis at a Large Scale
Published on: May 28, 2021
13.8K
Crossing the barrier: STRA6 in epidermal differentiation
Kristian B Laursen1, Lorraine J Gudas1
1Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
|May 15, 2014
Summary
The STRA6 protein acts as a gatekeeper for vitamin A, controlling skin cell growth and development. Its absence leads to excessive skin cell proliferation and expansion.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Retinol (vitamin A) is crucial for skin health and development.
- Understanding the regulation of epidermal keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation is vital for skin biology.
- The role of specific transporter proteins in vitamin A metabolism within the skin requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of the STRA6 retinol transporter protein in regulating epidermal keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation.
- To elucidate the role of STRA6 as a potential regulator in vitamin A-mediated skin development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized human organotypic three-dimensional skin models.
- Employed skin reconstitution models.
- Depletion of STRA6 protein in these models.
Main Results:
- Depletion of STRA6 resulted in hyperproliferation of epidermal keratinocytes.
- STRA6 depletion induced differentiation associated with epidermal expansion.
- Demonstrated STRA6's critical role in controlling keratinocyte behavior.
Conclusions:
- STRA6 functions as a critical "gatekeeper" protein in the vitamin A signaling pathway within human skin.
- STRA6 regulates both proliferation and differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes.
- Dysregulation of STRA6 impacts skin structure and development, highlighting its importance in dermatological research.
Related Concept Videos
01:12Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells
2.4K
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
01:28Forced Transdifferentiation
1.5K
Transdifferentiation, also known as lineage reprogramming, was first discovered by Selman and Kafatos in 1974 in silkmoths. They observed that the moths’ cuticle-producing cells transformed into salt-producing cells. Many such cases of natural transdifferentiation occur in organisms. In humans, pancreatic alpha cells can become beta cells. In newts, the loss of the eye’s lens causes the pigmented epithelial cells to transdifferentiate into the lens cells.
Artificial...
Artificial...
1.5K
01:21Layers of the Epidermis
9.7K
The epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin, is composed of several distinct layers. From deep to superficial, the layers of the epidermis are as follows:
Stratum Basale
Stratum basale, also known as the stratum germinativum, is the deepest layer of the epidermis. It is composed of a single layer of actively dividing cells called basal cells or basal keratinocytes. These cells constantly undergo cell division to replenish the upper layers of the epidermis. Additionally, melanocytes, which...
Stratum Basale
Stratum basale, also known as the stratum germinativum, is the deepest layer of the epidermis. It is composed of a single layer of actively dividing cells called basal cells or basal keratinocytes. These cells constantly undergo cell division to replenish the upper layers of the epidermis. Additionally, melanocytes, which...
9.7K
01:06Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell
2.9K
A hair follicle or HF is a small part of the skin that produces the hair shaft. Paul Gerson Unna was the first to observe a bulge in the human hair follicle's outer root sheath (ORS). The bulge is present between the sebaceous gland and the arrector pili muscle and is the niche for hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). The bulge is also a niche for melanocyte stem cells, and their loss results in graying of hair. The HFSCs express Sox9 and Lhx2, which help them maintain stemness and prevent...
2.9K
01:19Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells
2.4K
Epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) are mainly located at the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells repair minor injuries of the skin and replace dead skin cells. However, EpiSCs’ cannot heal severe wounds such as major burns or those from diabetes or hereditary disorders. In such cases, culturing the epidermal stem cells from the patient is possible and has yielded successful treatment options, such as laboratory-grown skin grafts. These grafts are synthesized using a patient’s own...
2.4K
01:24Cells of the Epidermis
7.2K
The epidermis is made of four or five layers of epithelial cells, depending on its location in the body. From deep to superficial, these layers are the stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum, and stratum corneum.
The cells in all these layers except the stratum basale are called keratinocytes, a type of cell that manufactures and stores the protein keratin. The keratinocytes in the stratum corneum are dead and regularly slough away, being replaced by cells from...
The cells in all these layers except the stratum basale are called keratinocytes, a type of cell that manufactures and stores the protein keratin. The keratinocytes in the stratum corneum are dead and regularly slough away, being replaced by cells from...
7.2K