The Striatin-Interacting Phosphatase And Kinases Complex Is Important for Skin Epidermal Differentiation and Barrier Formation

The study investigates the role of the Striatin-Interacting Phosphatase And Kinases (STRIPAK) complex, specifically the STRIP1 component, in skin epidermal differentiation and barrier formation. The researchers hypothesized that STRIP1 and STRIPAK regulate F-actin and cell-cell adhesion in the skin epidermis. They found that STRIP1 is located at cell-cell junctions in the upper layers of the epidermis. Using a conditional allele of Strip1, they found that half of the K14-Cre; Strip1fl/fl mutants survived but were significantly smaller than control animals and had broken vibrissae. The Strip1 mutant skin showed misoriented hair follicles, a thinner epidermis, and barrier defects. F-actin staining revealed wavy cell-cell borders in the granular layer of Strip1 mutants, indicating a defect in mechanical tension. The data suggest that STRIP1 and STRIPAK regulate F-actin and cell-cell junctions to generate a functional barrier.