_{>> HaCat Keratinocytes <<}

Keratinocytes are cells in the skin of mammals. Keratinocytes produce keratin, a very robust structure protein. The keratin is responsible for the high chemical and mechanical resistivity of human skin. The HaCat cells shown here are property of a group at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Contact them for a permission.

Isolated keratinocytes explore the local environment with a dynamic network of fine protrusion tubes (bar lefthand and opening window). The window corresponding to the left bar shows in an insert like the fine tubes fuse to build plate structures.

Middle: HaCat keratinocytes tend to stay in tight contact. TIRF microscopy of a cell group after vital staining with Calcein shows the adhesion pattern. The individual cells resorbed the dye in different amounts. The resulting variations in fluorescence enable the discrimination of neighboured cells. Besides the finely structured adhesions along the cell body the undulating cell borders are remarckable. The individual keratinocyte protrudes into the border of the cell neighbours. This way the cells interconnect very tight.

Right: The f-actin cytosceleton (red) is somewhat chaotic and the distribution of cell adhesions with Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK, green dots) does not simply correlate with the cytosceleton. This is contradictory to the finding that HaCat cells are very tension resistive.

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