Poster Sessions

DEV-5

Junko Okano

J. Okano, M.I. Morasso

The Role of Retinoic Signaling during Skin Development in Mice

Retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of vitamin A, plays a key role in a variety of biological processes and is essential for normal embryonic development. Moreover, it is well known that excess of RA during pregnancy could cause skin anomaly in fetuses in both humans and rodents, but the specific role of RA signaling during skin development remains unknown. Mice lacking CYP26B1, a retinoic acid-degrading enzyme, exhibit acanthosis and hyperkeratosis in the skin. They have a severe defect in epidermal barrier formation and aberrant cornified envelopes. Most of genes associated with barrier formation are perturbed in Cyp26b1-/- skin. Development of the hair follicle is also affected. Work is in progress to understand the pathogenesis of skin anomalies caused by excess of RA.