Mapping the Molecular and Structural Specialization of the Skin Basement Membrane for Inter-Tissue Interactions
TLDR The skin basement membrane is specialized for different tissue interactions, important for hair growth and attachment.
The study by Tsutsui et al. provides a detailed analysis of the molecular and structural specialization of the skin basement membrane (BM) in hair follicles (HF). Using reporter mouse lines, transcriptomics, and antibody staining, the authors mapped the spatial and temporal expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules in the HF BM. They discovered that different niches within the HF produce specific ECM components, creating specialized microdomains such as the dermal papilla (DP) - hair germ (HG) interface. Notably, they identified a "hook ECM" structure that fastens the DP to the HG, involving laminin α5, perlecan, and other BM molecules. This study highlights the importance of ECM localization and cell origin in mediating inter-tissue signaling and provides a framework for further research on BM heterogeneity in tissue interactions.
