Researchers in the Eom Lab in the Department of Developmental and Cell Biology at UC Irvine have discovered that tiny cellular extensions called cytonemes are essential for healthy skin renewal. Using zebrafish, the team showed that cytonemes help skin cells communicate via the Notch signaling pathway, ensuring proper balance between cell growth and differentiation. When cytoneme function is blocked, the skin develops defects resembling human disorders like psoriasis. This work suggests that breakdowns in cytoneme-based signaling could contribute to human skin diseases and opens new avenues for treatment.
The study, entitled “Cytoneme-mediated intercellular signaling in keratinocytes is essential for epidermal remodeling in zebrafish”, was published in the August 2025 issue of eLife.