Animal Models of Skin Disorders

Skin constitutes the largest biological barrier that protects from dehydration and mechanical injury, environmental toxins and microbes, and participates in immune responses. The epidermis of the skin is comprised of multilayered and stratified epithelial cells that undergo life-long self-renewal through a tightly regulated balance of cell proliferation and terminal differentiation. Disruption of this balance represents a central process of a myriad of skin diseases. Environmental insults and genetic defects are among the primary root causes of skin diseases. Accordingly, many animal models of skin diseases are generated with one or more of the following techniques: (1) induction with environmental allergens, (2) genetic engineering with epidermis-targeted transgene expression or gene knockout, and (3) regeneration of human skin tissues with patient-derived or genetically modified keratinocytes. This chapter covers a few examples of numerous animal models that resemble human inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, genetic skin diseases, such as ichthyosis vulgaris and Netherton syndrome, or various skin cancers. Examples of animal free 3D culture system are also discussed.

Duke Scholars

Author Jennifer Yunyan Zhang Dermatology