Communication among TAKl, Smad3 and PPAR β/δ and their impact on skin development.

• Main Author: Tan, Nguan Soon.
• Other Authors: School of Biological Sciences
• Format: Research Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences::Biochemistry
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/42833
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Wound healing is a complex process that consists of a cascade of overlapping events, including inflammation reepithelialization and remodeling, directed at the restoration of the epidermal barrier. The regulation of wound repair is dictated by epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and purportedly mediated by the action of central players such as growth factors. This complex interplay demands the expression of soluble factors exerting autocrine and paracrine activities and, importantly, the integration of such diverse signals, which culminate in appropriate cellular responses. Aberrations to this signaling network may impair or enhance cell migration and proliferation, leading to insufficient or excessive wound repair and lifethreatening consequences such as tumor growth and metastasis. Although the importance of epithelial-mesenchymal communication is well realized, dissecting the signaling network has been difficult. It is imperative that we investigate the model at a situation where the different cell types of cells were not in isolation but could communicate with each other. Moreover, the usual 2-dimensional cell culture and the presence of serum in the growth medium, which do not reflect the in vivo situation, would inevitably distort our understanding. It should also be noted that with the exception of blood and endothelial cells, all remaining cell types in the living body never come in contact with serum but its exudates.