Onset of Keratin 17 Expression Coincides with the Definition of Major Epithelial Lineages During Skin Development

October 1998 in “ The Journal of Cell Biology ”

Kevin McGowan, Pierre A. Coulombe

TLDR Keratin 17 is important for skin development and may help define skin cell types.

The study investigated the expression of keratin 17 (K17) during mouse skin development, revealing that K17 synthesis began in embryonic day 10.5 in a subset of epithelial cells. These cells later formed placodes, precursors to ectoderm-derived appendages like hair, glands, and teeth. The spatial distribution of K17 corresponded with lymphoid-enhancer factor (lef-1), a protein involved in epithelial–mesenchymal interactions. Ectopic expression of lef-1 in adult transgenic mice induced K17, suggesting a molecular link between skin development and wound repair. This research highlighted the role of K17 in skin morphogenesis and its potential involvement in epithelial lineage definition.

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