The five layers of skin are the stratum basale, hypodermis, subcutaneous tissue, dermis, and epidermis. The epidermis, the top layer, is made up of stratified squamous epithelium. The layer immediately below the epidermis is called the dermis, and it is made up of connective tissue, which gives the skin strength and suppleness. The innermost layer, the hypodermis, comprises loose connective and fatty tissues. Under the skin, there is a layer of fat and connective tissue called the subcutaneous tissue (Yousef et al., 2022). The epidermis’s innermost layer, the stratum basale, comprises a single layer of cells that divide and differentiate to generate the other layers.
There are four cell junctions: adherens junctions, tight junctions, and desmosomes. In order to stop molecules from moving between cells, tight junctions, which are found between adjacent cells, act as a barrier. Desmosomes are cellular structures that bind the cell membrane to the cytoskeleton and give mechanical strength (Khan Academy, n.d). Small molecules can flow between cells through gaps between them, which are channels between adjacent cells. Cells are connected by adhesion junctions, supporting the tissue’s structural integrity.
The plakophilin gene produces a protein essential for developing cell-cell junctions (MedlinePlus, n.d). It plays a significant role in developing desmosomes, which are mechanically strong structures made of proteins that attach the cell membrane to the cytoskeleton. By influencing the production of desmosomes, mutations in the plakophilin gene can impair cell-cell interaction. This can result in the tissue losing some of its mechanical stability, which might cause it to disintegrate.
Overactive sweating is a symptom of the disorder known as hyperhidrosis, which can be caused by a mutation in the plakophilin gene (Cleveland Clinic, n.d.). This is because the relationships between cells are disrupted, which can reduce the tissue’s mechanical strength and cause the sweat glands to degenerate, resulting in more sweating.
References
Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Hyperhidrosis: Causes, symptoms, treatment & lifestyle changes. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17113-hyperhidrosis
Khan Academy. (n.d.). Cell-cell junctions | gap junctions (article). Khan Academy. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/cell-communication-and-cell-cycle/cell-communication/a/cell-cell-junctions
MedlinePlus. (n.d.). PKP2 gene: MedlinePlus genetics. MedlinePlus. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/pkp2/
Yousef, H., Alhajj, M., & Sharma, S. (2022). Anatomy, skin (integument), the epidermis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470464/
