Mapping the Molecular and Structural Specialization of the Skin Basement Membrane for Inter-Tissue Interactions
May 2021
in “
Nature communications
”
TLDR The skin's basement membrane has specialized structures and molecules for different tissue interactions, important for hair growth and attachment.
The study investigated the role of the basement membrane (BM) in inter-tissue interactions, focusing on mouse hair follicles. Using quantitative transcriptomics and immunohistochemistry, researchers identified the cellular origins, molecular identities, and tissue distributions of extracellular matrix molecules. They discovered that the BM's composition and architecture are highly specialized for different types of interactions, such as those between epithelial cells and fibroblasts, muscle, or nerves. Notably, the interface between the hair germ and dermal papilla exhibited side-specific heterogeneity in the BM, characterized by distinct structures named hook and mesh BMs. The study also found that laminin α5, a component of these BMs, is essential for hair cycle regulation and the anchoring of the hair germ to the dermal papilla. This research underscores the importance of BM heterogeneity in facilitating various inter-tissue interactions.
