Targeted Deletion of Crif1 in Mouse Skin Epidermis Impairs Skin Homeostasis

In the study titled "Targeted deletion of crif1 in mouse skin epidermis impairs skin homeostasis," researchers found that the deletion of the Crif1 gene in the epidermis of mice led to impaired mitochondrial function, which resulted in significant inhibition of keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. Additionally, the disruption of hair follicle morphogenesis was observed, which was associated with down-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These findings indicate that mitochondrial function in keratinocytes is crucial for maintaining epidermal homeostasis and normal hair follicle development. The Crif1 conditional knockout (cKO) mice exhibited these defects and died within a week, demonstrating the essential role of Crif1 in skin and hair biology.