Original Article

Targeted Ablation of the Murine Involucrin Gene

Correspondence to: Philippe Djian, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UPR 2228, Régulation de la Transcription et Maladies Génétiques, Université René Descartes, 45, rue des Saints-Pères, 75270 Paris cedex 06, France. Tel:33-1-42-86-20-61 Fax:33-1-42-60-55-37

Involucrin is synthesized in abundance during terminal differentiation of keratinocytes. Involucrin is a substrate for transglutaminase and one of the precursors of the cross-linked envelopes present in the corneocytes of the epidermis and other stratified squamous epithelia. These envelopes make an important contribution to the physical resistance of the epidermis. We have generated mice lacking involucrin from embryonic stem cells whose involucrin gene had been ablated by homologous recombination. These mice developed normally, possessed apparently normal epidermis and hair follicles, and made cornified envelopes that could not be distinguished from those of wild-type mice. No compensatory increase of mRNA for other envelope precursors was observed.

Key Words: embryonic stem cells, envelopes, skin morphology, skin resistance, involucrin

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