A multidisciplinary study of the structural, biochemical and functional properties of human skin during development is planned. Samples of normal embryonic and fetal skin will be used to establish histologic and ultrastructural characteristics of the epidermis, dermis and amniotic fluid cell populations at progressive stages of development. These data will serve as the common denominator of all other projects; parallel samples of skin from the same embryos and fetuses used for the morphologic studies will be used for: quantitation of hemidesmosomes at the dermal-epidermal junction, biochemical assay and immunolocalization of the epidermal proteins filaggrin and keratin, biochemical identification of specific classes of lipids in the epidermis, subcutaneous fat and amniotic fluid, evaluation of transport across the epidermis, biochemical identification and immunolocalization of the major interstitial collagens in the dermis, and identification and quantitation of dermal glycosaminoglycans, evaluation of synthesis and activity of dermal collagenase, at various stage of development. Biopsy and autopsy samples of skin from fetuses with inherited cutaneous disorders will also be studied for morphologic alterations and by as many of the biochemical procedures our tissue quantity allows. The data from these projects are expected to expand our understanding of normal human skin biology during development, serve as control, baseline data essential for evaluation of abnormalities in cutaneous structure and properties in fetuses at risk for severe inherited disorders of the integument, expand tee potential for prenatal diagnosis of skin disorders and extend our understanding of the natural history of genetic skin diseases into the antenatal period.

Project Start
1983-04-01
Project End
1986-06-30
Budget Start
1985-04-01
Budget End
1986-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
135646524
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
Akiyama, M; Smith, L T; Shimizu, H (2000) Expression of transglutaminase activity in developing human epidermis. Br J Dermatol 142:223-5
Akiyama, M; Smith, L T; Shimizu, H (2000) Changing patterns of localization of putative stem cells in developing human hair follicles. J Invest Dermatol 114:321-7
Akiyama, M; Smith, L T; Yoneda, K et al. (1999) Periderm cells form cornified cell envelope in their regression process during human epidermal development. J Invest Dermatol 112:903-9
Akiyama, M; Dale, B A; Smith, L T et al. (1998) Regional difference in expression of characteristic abnormality of harlequin ichthyosis in affected fetuses. Prenat Diagn 18:425-36
Zeltinger, J; Holbrook, K A (1997) A model system for long-term serum-free suspension organ culture of human fetal tissues: experiments on digits and skin from multiple body regions. Cell Tissue Res 290:51-60
Gibran, N S; Nickoloff, B J; Holbrook, K A (1996) Ontogeny and characterization of factor XIIIa+ cells in developing human skin. Anat Embryol (Berl) 193:35-41
Akiyama, M; Smith, L T; Holbrook, K A (1996) Growth factor and growth factor receptor localization in the hair follicle bulge and associated tissue in human fetus. J Invest Dermatol 106:391-6
Piepkorn, M; Underwood, R A; Henneman, C et al. (1995) Expression of amphiregulin is regulated in cultured human keratinocytes and in developing fetal skin. J Invest Dermatol 105:802-9
Kim, D K; Holbrook, K A (1995) The appearance, density, and distribution of Merkel cells in human embryonic and fetal skin: their relation to sweat gland and hair follicle development. J Invest Dermatol 104:411-6
Akiyama, M; Dale, B A; Sun, T T et al. (1995) Characterization of hair follicle bulge in human fetal skin: the human fetal bulge is a pool of undifferentiated keratinocytes. J Invest Dermatol 105:844-50

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