Decision Letter: NuMA-Microtubule Interactions Are Critical for Spindle Orientation and the Morphogenesis of Diverse Epidermal Structures

The study revealed that NuMA-microtubule interactions were essential for proper spindle orientation and tissue morphogenesis in keratinocytes, contradicting the previous belief that dynein/dynactin alone sufficed. Disruption of these interactions in the skin led to defects in spindle orientation and epidermal differentiation, resulting in neonatal lethality. In adult mice, these interactions were crucial for hair follicle morphogenesis and spindle orientation in matrix cells, with their absence causing defective differentiation. The research emphasized the direct role of NuMA in mitotic spindle positioning and its significance in forming diverse skin structures, with the NuMA-TIP region and MT-binding domain (MTBD) being critical for these processes.