Laminin 10/11: an alternative adhesive ligand for epidermal keratinocytes with a functional role in promoting proliferation and migration

The authors investigated the expression and function of laminin-511 and -521 in neonatal and adult human skin. They found that the laminin-a5 chain is expressed abundantly in the basement membrane underlying the interfollicular epidermis and the blood vessels in the dermis. Interestingly, while the expression level of the well-studied laminin-5 isoform did not change significantly with age, laminin-511 and -521 appeared to decrease in the basement membrane underlying the epidermis, in adult skin. In contrast, the levels of laminin-511 and -521 in the basement membrane underlying blood vessels remained unchanged in neonatal vs. adult skin.