Rho-associated kinase regulates Langerhans cell morphology and responsiveness to tissue damage.

ABSTRACT: Skin damage requires efficient immune cell responses to restore organ function. Epidermal-resident immune cells known as Langerhans cells use dendritic protrusions to surveil the skin microenvironment, which contains keratinocytes and peripheral axons. The mechanisms governing Langerhans cell dendrite dynamics and responses to tissue damage are poorly understood. Using skin explants from adult zebrafish, we show that Langerhans cells maintain normal surveillance following axonal degeneration and use their dendrites to engulf small axonal debris. By contrast, a ramified-to-rounded shape transition accommodates the engulfment of larger keratinocyte debris. We find that Langerhans cell dendrites are populated with actin and sensitive to a broad-spectrum actin inhibitor. We show that Rho-assoc

SUBMITTER: Peterman E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12529580 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature