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Related Concept Videos

Papillary Dermis01:11

Papillary Dermis

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Dermis
The dermis might be considered the "core" of the integumentary system, as distinct from the epidermis and hypodermis. It contains blood and lymph vessels, nerves, and other structures, such as hair follicles and sweat glands. The dermis is made of two layers of connective tissue that comprise an interconnected mesh of elastin and collagenous fibers, produced by fibroblasts.
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The papillary layer is made of loose, areolar connective tissue, which means the collagen...
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Cells of the Epidermis01:24

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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...
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Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells01:12

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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...
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Layers of the Epidermis01:21

Layers of the Epidermis

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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:
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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...
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Reticular Dermis01:15

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The papillary and reticular dermis are the two layers of the dermis. They are made of connective tissue with fibers of collagen extending from one to the other, making the border between the two somewhat indistinct. The dermal papillae extending into the epidermis belong to the papillary layer, whereas the dense collagen fiber bundles below belong to the reticular layer.
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Pigmentation01:19

Pigmentation

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The color of the skin is influenced by a number of pigments, including melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. Recall that melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes, which are found scattered throughout the stratum basale of the epidermis. The melanin is transferred to the keratinocytes via melanosomes.
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
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Related Experiment Video

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Cultivating a Three-dimensional Reconstructed Human Epidermis at a Large Scale
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Cultivating a Three-dimensional Reconstructed Human Epidermis at a Large Scale

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Epidermal keratin 5 expression and distribution is under dermal influence.

Muriel Cario1,2,3,4, Catherine Pain1,2, Priscilla Kaulanjan-Checkmodine1,2

  • 1INSERM U1035, Bordeaux, France.

Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research
|November 7, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Human skin color, or phenotype, can change. Caucasian skin grafted onto mice became black, revealing that keratin 5 and FGF-2 levels are key factors in pigmentary disorders.

Keywords:
dermisfibroblastshyperpigmentationkeratin 5keratinocytesmelanocytesskin substitutes

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Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Human skin pigmentation varies significantly across ethnicities due to differences in melanin production and melanosome processing.
  • Environmental factors can influence skin pigmentation, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the reversibility of human skin pigmentation phenotypes in a xenograft model.
  • To identify key molecular factors involved in regulating skin pigmentation and its associated disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Grafting Caucasian skin onto nude mice to create a xenograft model.
  • Analyzing epidermal growth factor (FGF-2) and keratin 5 (KRT5) levels in grafted skin.
  • In vitro studies to confirm the regulatory role of FGF-2 on KRT5.
  • Examining KRT5 expression in patients with Dowling-Degos Disease (DDD) and senile lentigo (SL).

Main Results:

  • Caucasian skin xenografts on nude mice exhibited a reversible transformation to a black phenotype.
  • Black xenografts showed significantly elevated levels of epidermal FGF-2 and KRT5 compared to controls.
  • FGF-2 was confirmed to directly regulate KRT5 expression in vitro.
  • Altered KRT5 expression patterns were observed in both DDD patients and individuals with senile lentigo.

Conclusions:

  • Skin pigmentation phenotypes, including human skin color, are more dynamic than previously thought and can be influenced by environmental cues.
  • Epidermal FGF-2 and KRT5 levels play a crucial role in regulating melanosome characteristics and skin pigmentation.
  • Dysregulation of KRT5, whether through mutations or altered expression, is implicated in the pathogenesis of pigmentary disorders like DDD and SL.