The keratinocyte growth-differentiation switch.

Abstract

Growth/differentiation control of normal epithelial cells has been relatively understudied, because of the complexities involved in their cultivation and characterization. The present review is focused on progress in this area using the mouse primary keratinocyte system. This system reproduces under well defined culture conditions the switch between epithelial cell growth and differentiation which occurs in vivo, and enables the study of cells derived from wild type mice as well as mice with specific genetic alterations.