Using the Frog Embryonic Epidermis as a Model to Study Desmosome Function During Development

The document presents an abstract from a study that used the frog embryonic epidermis as a model to investigate the function of desmosomes during development. Desmosomes are cell-cell junctions that provide mechanical resistance in epithelia and the heart, and defects in desmosomal proteins can lead to issues with the skin, hair, and heart. The study aimed to address the largely unexplored role of desmosomes in epidermal development. The researchers focused on a critical desmosomal protein, desmoplakin (Dsp), and utilized morpholinos and CRISPR/Cas9 to demonstrate that Dsp is essential for proper epidermal morphogenesis and mechanical resistance in the embryo. Embryos with decreased Dsp showed defects in keratin organization and the development of ectodermally-derived structures such as the mouth, eye, and fin. The study also found that Dsp is necessary for radial intercalation, a process where cells move into the outer epidermal layer, and that a decrease in Dsp results in halted radial intercalation, affecting the development of certain cell types. Additionally, the study highlighted the role of c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) in regulating desmosome dynamics in the developing epidermis. The findings suggest that desmosomes are crucial for epidermal morphogenesis and reveal a new role for desmosomes in the process of radial intercalation.