Skin Pins

Have you ever wondered why your skin doesn’t just fall off? Binding skin to the connective tissues underneath are tiny 'rivet'-like structures called hemidesmosomes – revealed here with brightly-coloured dyes under a high powered microscope. A slice through human skin shows a gap between the outer skin layers (top in green) and the connective tissue below (top in red). Using a different green dye, the bottom image shows a vital link between them – green-coloured blobs of a stretchy protein called BP230, a vital part of the hemidesmosome, dotted just above the connective tissue. Hemidesmosomes are built to withstand tough pulling forces, but they can also be destroyed by the body’s own immune system. A mysterious condition called bullous pemphigoid (BP) leaves nasty blisters between skin layers. As the causes of BP are currently unknown, a clearer picture of the hemidesmosome may help to figure out what’s going on under the skin.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image adapted from work by Leila Nahidiazar and colleagues, with permission from the Journal of Cell Science
• Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Image copyright held by The Company of Biologists
• Published in Journal of Cell Science, September 2015