Delayed Epidermal Permeability Barrier Formation and Hair Follicle Aberrations in Inv-Cldn6 Mice
June 2005
in “
Mechanisms of development
”
TLDR Mice with too much Claudin-6 have skin barrier problems and abnormal hair growth.
The study on Inv-Cldn6 mice, which overexpressed Claudin-6, demonstrated delayed epidermal permeability barrier (EPB) formation and various hair follicle abnormalities. These mice initially experienced dehydration due to an incomplete EPB but normalized by postnatal day 12. They exhibited a distinct coat phenotype, mild epidermal hyperkeratosis, and altered expression of keratins and claudins. Hair follicle differentiation was disrupted, with a shorter anagen phase and changes in hair type distribution, including a 20% increase in zig-zag hairs and 30% shorter guard hairs. The findings suggested that Claudin-6 played a crucial role in epidermal and hair follicle differentiation, highlighting its importance in EPB assembly and the hair cycle.
