TLDR Keratin 15 helps keep skin cells in a young, undifferentiated state.
The study investigates the roles of keratin 14 (K14) and keratin 15 (K15) in skin epithelia, focusing on their influence on keratinocyte behavior. K14 is known to maintain mechanical integrity and regulate differentiation by sequestering YAP1, a key transcriptional effector, in the cytoplasm. K15, traditionally a marker for hair bulge stem cells, lacks certain biochemical features that prevent it from sequestering YAP1 effectively. The research, using cell culture, transgenic mouse models, and transcriptomics data, suggests that the ratio of K15 to K14 promotes a progenitor cell state and inhibits differentiation in epidermal keratinocytes.
6 citations,
October 2022 in “Journal of cell science” Keratin genes change gradually during skin cell development and should be used carefully as biomarkers.
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September 2013 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” Keratin 15 is not a reliable sole marker for identifying epidermal stem cells because it's found in various cell types.
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