α-parvin is required for epidermal morphogenesis, hair follicle development and basal keratinocyte polarity

Epidermal morphogenesis and hair follicle (HF) development depend on the ability of keratinocytes to adhere to the basement membrane (BM) and migrate along the extracellular matrix. Integrins are cell-matrix receptors that control keratinocyte adhesion and migration, and are recognized as major regulators of epidermal homeostasis. How integrins regulate the behavior of keratinocytes during epidermal morphogenesis remains insufficiently understood. Here, we show that alpha-parvin (alpha-pv), a focal adhesion protein that couples integrins to actin cytoskeleton, is indispensable for epidermal morphogenesis and HF development. Inactivation of the murine alpha-pv gene in basal keratinocytes res…