Molecular Determinants of Skin Integrity

Dear Colleagues,

Skin is the first body defense against external stress. In the epidermis, keratinocyte stem cells are responsible for monthly physiological replacement and for regeneration during wound healing, and differentiated layers ensure the skin barrier function. In the dermis, various cell types ensure the maintenance of tissue structures and functionalities, notably the fibroblasts through constant ECM synthesis and remodeling, and immune cells that coordinate local and general regulations. Skin integrity is lost in various pathological conditions, including genotoxic stress, burns, chronic inflammation, and ulcers, which disrupt the complex mechanisms regulating skin homeostasis. Identification of the perturbated molecular mechanisms is key to obtain in-depth knowledge on pathological contexts, and requires dissecting perturbed cellular interactions and abnormal microenvironments. Such fundamental research can help in identifying targets or molecules of interest for skin care and repair, and redirect this tissue towards homeostasis.

Advances in preservation and repair of skin integrity can benefit from research and preclinical models, including organoid formation and reconstitution through skin substitutes, exposome assays, as well as the analysis of genome, transcriptome, and epigenome through NGS and single-cell analysis in native and gene-edited cells.

In this Topical Collection of Cells, we will gather articles and reviews on recent fundamental and applied advances in skin integrity. The impact of epigenomic controls of cell function and stability will be particularly welcome.

Dr. Michèle T. Martin
Collection Editor

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