title: Epidermal cell turnover across tight junctions based on Kelvin's tetrakaidecahedron cell shape.
abstract: In multicellular organisms, cells adopt various shapes, from flattened sheets of endothelium to dendritic neurons, that allow the cells to function effectively. Here, we elucidated the unique shape of cells in the cornified stratified epithelia of the mammalian epidermis that allows them to achieve homeostasis of the tight junction (TJ) barrier. Using intimate in vivo 3D imaging, we found that the basic shape of TJ-bearing cells is a flattened Kelvin's tetrakaidecahedron (f-TKD), an optimal shape for filling space. In vivo live imaging further elucidated the dynamic replacement of TJs on the edges of f-TKD cells that enables the TJ-bearing cells to translocate across the TJ barrier. We propose a spatiotemporal orchestration model of f-TKD cell turnover, where in the classic context of 'form follows function', cell shape provides a fundamental basis for the barrier homeostasis and physical strength of cornified stratified epithelia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.|Nerima General Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokouchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.|KOSÉ Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Atsugi
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mark van
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Logtestijn
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Reiko J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0769-9382
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.|Suematsu Gas Biology Project, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3773-6874
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kajimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.|Suematsu Gas Biology Project, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7165-6336
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suematsu
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.|Department of Physiological Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2847-8156
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furuse
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.|RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3314-7052
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amagai
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiharu
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0902-3586
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kubo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048430:Cell Shape; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000502:physiology*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D000069416:Intravital Microscopy; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012038:Regeneration; D019108:Tight Junctions
keywords: cell biology; developmental biology; epidermal barrier; mouse; stem cells; tight junction; tissue homeostasis