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Updated: Nov 19, 2025

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin
Published on: December 22, 2017
[Research advances on immunological properties and gene regulation of skin keratinocytes]
1Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, the Fourth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100048, China.
Abstract:
Keratinocytes (KCs) are the main cells that constitute the epidermis, which have immunogenicity and play important roles in immunity. KCs-mediated immune response plays an initiating role in the innate immune response. KCs recognize antigens mainly through Toll-like receptors and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors. After being activated, KCs up-regulate the expressions of cytokines, chemokines, and antibacterial peptides via signal transduction pathways and help initiate skin immune response. KCs also participate in early innate immune response by attracting inflammatory cells and innate immune cells such as mast cells and macrophages. Studies on the molecular biological mechanism and regulatory measures of KCs' immunogenicity are of great significance for the construction of skin substitutes such as cell sheets to repair wounds. This article reviews the research advances in immunological properties and gene regulation of KCs.
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