177 The Striatin-Interacting Phosphatase And Kinases complex is important for skin epidermal differentiation and barrier formation

Abstract

Several human skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis as well as regeneration processes such as wound healing are associated with epidermal barrier defects. The multi-layered epidermis is composed of proliferating basal keratinocytes that initiate upward differentiation through migration and intercalation, which ultimately lead to tight junction formation and cornification to serve as essential barriers against environmental insults and dehydration. The assembly of functional tight junctions at the interfaces of the granular layer is largely controlled by cytoskeletal rearrangements, including filamentous (F)-actin organization.