Journal of cell science
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Journal of cell science · Mar 2005
Keratinocytes display normal proliferation, survival and differentiation in conditional beta4-integrin knockout mice.
The alpha6beta4 integrin is located at the basal surface of keratinocytes, in hemidesmosomal structures that mediate stable adhesion of epidermal cells to the underlying basement membrane component laminin-5. The absence of alpha6beta4 integrin causes junctional epidermolysis bullosa, a severe blistering disease of the skin leading to perinatal death, confirming its essential role in mediating strong keratinocyte adhesion. Several studies have suggested that alpha6beta4 integrin can also regulate signaling cascades that control cell proliferation, survival and migration through a mechanism independent of its adhesive function. ⋯ These in vivo observations were confirmed in vitro by using immortalized keratinocytes - derived from beta4-subunit conditional knockout mice - from which the gene encoding beta4 had been deleted by Cre-mediated recombination. Consistent with the established role of alpha6beta4 in adhesion strengthening, its loss from cells was found to increase their motility. Our findings clearly demonstrate that, after birth, epidermal differentiation, proliferation and survival all proceed normally in the absence of alpha6beta4, provided that cell adhesion is not compromised.