USING THE FROG EPIDERMIS TO UNCOVER DESMOSOME FUNCTION AND REGULATION IN THE DEVELOPING EMBRYO

The study utilized the frog model, Xenopus laevis, to investigate the function and regulation of desmosomes, focusing on the desmosomal protein desmoplakin (Dsp) in embryonic epidermal development. It was found that desmosomes are present from early developmental stages and increase in number as the embryo develops. Deficiency in Dsp led to defects in epidermal structures and the heart, similar to mammalian models, and increased susceptibility to epidermal damage under mechanical stress. The study also suggested a role for desmosomes in radial intercalation, with reduced Dsp affecting intercalating cell types. Additionally, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) might regulate desmosome assembly, as JNK inhibition partially restored mechanical integrity in Dsp-deficient embryos.