Objective The molecular bases of skin development, wound healing and skin diseases like psoriasis and skin cancer are still poorly understood. Keratinocytes are the major cell type of the skin. We will study the role of beta1integrins, a major group of extra cellular matrix receptors, in keratinocytes in health and disease in vivo. We generated already mice that lack beta1 integrin in keratinocytes, but not in any other tissue. These mice have severe skin defects and a complete loss of hairs. Furthermore, we will replace beta1 integrin by mutant forms of the protein in order to study the mechanisms of integrin action. These mice will be analysed in molecular and cellular aspects under normal conditions, during wound healing, in a psoriasis model and in various skin cancer models. In addition, cell lines will be established from these mice and characterised in vitro. We expect to obtain valuable information about the function, the underlying mechanism, and the target gene of beta1 integrinsin keratinocytes These data will deepen our understanding of skin physiology and path physiology and might in the future allow the development of new therapeutic schemes for skin diseases. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyskin cancernatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiology Programme(s) FP5-LIFE QUALITY - Specific Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Quality of life and management of living resources", 1998-2002 Topic(s) 1.1.1.-7. - Chronic and degenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, cardivascular diseases and rare diseases Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN E.V. Address Am klopferspitz 18 a 82152 Martinsried Germany See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CANCER RESEARCH UK United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Lincolns inn field 44 WC2A 3PX London See on map CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES ENERGETICAS, MEDIAMBIENTALES Y TECNOLOGICAS Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address 22,avenida complutense 22 28040 Madrid See on map INSTITUT CURIE France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Rue d'ulm 26 75248 Paris See on map LUND UNIVERSITY Sweden EU contribution € 0,00 Address Universitetssjukhuset 221 85 Lund See on map UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA Austria EU contribution € 0,00 Address Brunnerstrasse 59 1090 Wien See on map