What is the α2β1 integrin doing in the epidermis?

Abstract

The α2β1 integrin is abundantly expressed by basal keratinocytes in intact skin and is required for re-epithelialization of human skin wounds. However, as Grenache et al. and Zweers et al. report, closure of mouse wounds does not require this receptor. The discrepancies between these models may reflect differences in the composition of the dermal matrices and in the proteinases expressed in response to injury.