Hereditary bullous diseases: current and innovative models to study the skin blistering disease epidermolysis bullosa

As the largest organ of the human body, our skin serves as an interface to the environment, as well as a defensive barrier against dangers therein. Its integrity is facilitated by a complex suprastructural network of proteins that tether the epidermis to the underlying dermis. Mutations in single ge...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inDrug discovery today. Disease models Vol. 32; pp. 17 - 25
Main Authors Guttmann-Gruber, Christina, Bauer, Johann W., Piñón Hofbauer, Josefina
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 2020
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ISSN1740-6757
DOI10.1016/j.ddmod.2020.10.001

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Summary:As the largest organ of the human body, our skin serves as an interface to the environment, as well as a defensive barrier against dangers therein. Its integrity is facilitated by a complex suprastructural network of proteins that tether the epidermis to the underlying dermis. Mutations in single genes that disrupt the function of these proteins lead to severe bullous disorders such as epidermolysis bullosa (EB). This short review focuses on progress in the establishment of different model systems that recapitulate multiple aspects of the pathological phenotype of EB. These models have been used to decipher disease modifying mechanisms and evaluate therapeutic possibilities aimed at reverting the genetic defect or ameliorating disease-associated complications.
ISSN:1740-6757
DOI:10.1016/j.ddmod.2020.10.001