| pubmed-article:16411018 | pubmed:abstractText | Fatty acids are shown to be important in various skin functions. Fatty acid binding protein (FABP) is postulated to serve as a lipid shuttle, solubilizing hydrophobic fatty acids and delivering them to the appropriate metabolic system. Among the FABP family proteins, epidermal-type FABP (E-FABP) is solely expressed in keratinocyte but its specific role in skin is not yet fully established. We found an elevated expression of E-FABP in regenerative keratinocytes of healing wounds. However, E-FABP null mice showed no marked differences compared to wild type mice in the process of wound closure, in vivo. On the other hand, in keratinocyte culture, E-FABP gene disruption decreased the cell motility, but did not affect the cell proliferation. E-FABP deletion may be compensated for in vivo by the microenvironment comprised of various cells such as fibroblasts and endothelial cells around the wound. Our analyses suggest that the E-FABP elevation may be necessary for the activation of cell motility within regenerative epidermis during wound healing. | lld:pubmed |
