Molecular mechanisms for the epidermal barrier homeostasis

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26293259
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Dermatology
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Kubo Akiharu 慶應義塾大学, 医学部, 准教授 (70335256)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐々木 貴史 慶應義塾大学, 医学部, 講師 (70306843) ; 天谷 雅行 慶應義塾大学, 医学部, 教授 (90212563)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: タイトジャンクション / 皮膚バリア / 組織恒常性 / 形と機能 / 表皮

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In multicellular organisms, cells adopt various shapes, from flattened sheets of endothelium to dendritic neurons, that allow the cells to function effectively. Here, we elucidated the unique shape of cells in the stratified epithelia of the epidermis that allows them to achieve homeostasis of the tight junction (TJ) barrier. Using intimate in vivo 3D imaging, we found that the basic shape of TJ-bearing cells is a flattened Kelvin’s tetrakaidecahedron (f-TKD), an optimal shape for filling space. In vivo live imaging further elucidated the dynamic replacement of TJs on the edges of f-TKD cells that enables the TJ-bearing cells to translocate across the TJ barrier. We propose a spatiotemporal orchestration model of f-TKD cell turnover, where in the classic context of “form follows function,” cell shape provides a fundamental basis for the barrier homeostasis and physical strength of cornified stratified epithelia.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学　皮膚科