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. 2023:154:317-336.
doi: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.02.003. Epub 2023 Mar 10.

Polarity in skin development and cancer

Alexandra Prado-Mantilla  1 , Terry Lechler  2
Affiliations

Polarity in skin development and cancer

Alexandra Prado-Mantilla et al. Curr Top Dev Biol. 2023.

Abstract

The epidermis is a stratified squamous epithelium that forms the outermost layer of the skin. Its primary function is to act as a barrier, keeping pathogens and toxins out and moisture in. This physiological role has necessitated major differences in the organization and polarity of the tissue as compared to simple epithelia. We discuss four aspects of polarity in the epidermis - the distinctive polarities of basal progenitor cells as well as differentiated granular cells, the polarity of adhesions and the cytoskeleton across the tissue as keratinocytes differentiate, and the planar cell polarity of the tissue. These distinctive polarities are essential for the morphogenesis and the function of the epidermis and have also been implicated in regulating tumor formation.

Keywords: Asymmetric cell division; Barrier; Basal cell; Cancer; Epidermis; Epithelia; Granular cell; Planar cell polarity; Polarity; Skin.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Diagram of epidermal architecture. Polarity in both basal and granular cells are indicated on the right.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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