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Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin
10:42

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin

Published on: December 22, 2017

Adhesion of epidermal Langerhans cells to keratinocytes mediated by E-cadherin

A Tang1, M Amagai, L G Granger

  • 1Dermatology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.

Nature
|January 7, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Langerhans cells (LC) in the skin use E-cadherin to stick to keratinocytes (KC). Reduced E-cadherin on cultured LC may explain their migration from skin to lymph nodes.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Dermatology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Langerhans cells (LC) are key immune cells in the epidermis, acting as accessory cells.
  • Epidermal repopulation relies on bone marrow-derived LC progenitors due to LC's limited self-renewal.
  • LC migrate from skin to lymph nodes upon antigen exposure, but mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Langerhans cell-keratinocyte (LC-KC) interactions in LC trafficking.
  • To characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying LC adhesion to epidermal cells.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of cadherin expression on fresh and cultured murine LC.
  • In vitro assessment of LC-KC adhesion.
  • Comparison of E-cadherin levels and adhesion affinity between fresh and cultured LC.

Main Results:

  • Fresh murine LC express cadherins and adhere to keratinocytes (KC) via E-cadherin.
  • Cultured LC, potentially resembling migrated cells, show reduced E-cadherin expression.
  • Cultured LC exhibit decreased adhesion affinity for KC compared to fresh LC.

Conclusions:

  • E-cadherin expression on LC appears crucial for their retention within the epidermis.
  • Cadherins may play a significant, previously unrecognized role in leukocyte-epithelial interactions.
  • Understanding LC-KC adhesion mechanisms offers insights into immune cell trafficking and retention.

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