Selected Publications

Torres J and Watt FM. Nanog maintains pluripotency of mouse ES cells by inhibiting NFkB and cooperating with Stat3. Nature Cell Biology 2008, 10:194-201. PubMed

Niemann C, Owens DM, Schettina P and Watt FM. Dual role of inactivating Lef1 mutations in epidermis: tumor promotion and specification of tumor type. Cancer Res 2007; 67(7): 2916-2921. PubMed

Jensen KB and Watt FM. Single cell expression profiling of human epidermal stem and transit amplifying cells: Lrig1 is a regulator of stem cell quiescence. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006, 103(32): 11958-11963. PubMed PDF (in UKPMC)

Frye M and Watt FM. The RNA methyltransferase Misu (NSun2) mediates Myc-induced proliferation and is upregulated in tumors. Curr Biol 2006; 16: 971-981. PubMed

Takeda H, Lyle S, Lazar AJF, Zouboulis CC, Smyth I and Watt FM. Human sebaceous tumors harbor inactivating mutations in LEF1. Nature Med 2006; 12: 395-397. PubMed

Silva-Vargas V, Lo Celso C, Giangreco A, Ofstad T, Prowse DM, Braun KM and Watt FM. β-catenin and Hedgehog signal strength can specify number and location of hair follicles in adult epidermis without recruitment of Bulge stem cells. Dev Cell 2005; 9: 121-131. PubMed

Benitah SA, Frye M, Glogauer M and Watt FM. Stem cell depletion through epidermal deletion of Rac1. Science 2005; 309: 933-935. PubMed

Primary Research Publications

2008

Collins CA, Watt FM. Dynamic regulation of retinoic acid-binding proteins in developing, adult and neoplastic skin reveals roles for beta-catenin and Notch signalling. Developmental Biology 2008; 324:55-67

Estrach S, Cordes R, Hozumi K, Gossler A, Watt FM. Role of the Notch ligand Delta1 in embryonic and adult mouse epidermis. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2008; 128:825-832

Giangreco A, Qin M, Pintar JE, Watt FM. Epidermal stem cells are retained in vivo throughout skin aging. Aging Cell 2008; 7:250-9

Janes SM, Ofstad TA, Campbell DH, Eddaoudi A, Warnes G, Davies D, Watt FM. PI3-kinase-dependent activation of apoptotic machinery occurs on commitment of epidermal keratinocytes to terminal differentiation. Cell Research 2008; Sep 2 [E-pub ahead of print]

Jensen KB, Jones J, Watt FM. A stem cell gene expression profile of human squamous cell carcinomas. Cancer Letters 2008; 272:23-31

Lo Celso C, Berta MA, Braun KM, Frye M, Lyle S, Zouboulis CC, Watt FM. Characterization of bipotential epidermal progenitors derived from human sebaceous gland: contrasting roles of c-Myc and β-catenin. Stem Cells 2008; 26:1241-52

P´lmer HG, Anjos-Afonso F, Carmeliet G, Takeda H, Watt FM. The vitamin D receptor is a Wnt effector that controls hair follicle differentiation and specifies tumor type in adult epidermis. PLoS ONE 2008; 3:e1483

P´lmer HG, Martinez D, Carmeliet G, Watt FM. The vitamin D receptor is required for mouse hair cycle progression but not for maintenance of the epidermal stem cell compartment. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2008; 128:2113-7

Sevilla LM, Nachat R, Groot KR, Watt FM. Kazrin regulates keratinocyte cytoskeletal networks, intercellular junctions and differentiation. Journal of Cell Science 2008; 121:3561-9

Sevilla LM, Rana AA, Watt FM, Smith JC. KazrinA is required for axial elongation and epidermal integrity in Xenopus tropicalis. Developmental Dynamics 2008; 237:1718-1725

Torres J, Watt FM. Nanog maintains pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem cells by inhibiting NFκB and cooperating with Stat3. Nature Cell Biology 2008; 10:194-201

2007

Alexander S, Watt F, Sawaji Y, Hermansson M, Saklatvala J. Activin a is an anticatabolic autocrine cytokine in articular cartilage whose production is controlled by fibroblast growth factor 2 and NF-kappa B. Arthritis Rheum 2007; 56(11):3715-3725

Ambler CA, Watt FM. Expression of Notch pathway genes in mammalian epidermis and modulation by beta-catenin. Developmental Dynamics 2007; 236:1595-1601.

Benitah SA, Watt FM. Epidermal deletion of Rac1 causes stem cell depletion, irrespective of whether deletion occurs during embryogenesis or adulthood. J Invest Dermatol 2007; 127(6):1555-1557

Estrach S, Legg J, Watt FM. Syntenin mediates Delta1-induced cohesiveness of epidermal stem cells in culture. J Cell Sci 2007; 120(16):2944-2952

Frye M, Fisher AG, Watt FM. Epidermal stem cells are defined by global histone modifications that are altered by Myc-induced differentiation. PLoS ONE 2007; 2:e763.

Niemann C, Owens DM, Schettina P, Watt FM. Dual role of inactivating Lef1 mutations in epidermis: Tumor promotion and specification of tumor type. Cancer Res 2007; 67(7):2916-2921

Sevilla LM, Nachat R, Groot KR, Klement JF, Uitto J, Djian P, Maatta A, Watt FM. Mice deficient in involucrin, envoplakin, and periplakin have a defective epidermal barrier. J Cell Biol 2007; 179(7):1599-1612

2006

Estrach S, Ambler CA, Lo Celso C, Hozumi K, Watt FM. Jagged 1 is a beta-catenin target gene required for ectopic hair follicle formation in adult epidermis. Development 2006; 133(22):4427-4438

Frye M, Watt FM. The RNA methyltransferase Misu (NSun2) mediates Myc-induced proliferation and is upregulated in tumors. Curr Biol 2006; 16(10):971-981

Gebhardt A, Frye M, Herold S, Aznar Benitah S, Braun K, Samans B, Watt FM, Elsasser H-P, Eilers M. Myc regulates keratinocyte adhesion and differentiation via complex formation with Miz1. J Cell Biol 2006; 172(1):139-149

Honma M, Aznar Benitah S, Watt FM. Role of LIM kinases in normal and psoriatic human epidermis. Mol Biol Cell 2006; 17(4):1888-1896

Honma M, Stubbs M, Collins I, Workman P, Aherne W, Watt FM. Identification of novel keratinocyte differentiation modulating compounds by high-throughput screening. J Biomol Screen 2006; 11(8):977-984

Jensen KB, Watt FM. Single-cell expression profiling of human epidermal stem and transit-amplifying cells: Lrig1 is a regulator of stem cell quiescence. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103(32):11958-11963

Morita K, Lo Celso C, Spencer-Dene B, Zouboulis CC, Watt FM. HAN11 binds mDia1 and controls GLI1 transcriptional activity. J Dermatol Sci 2006; 44(1):11-20

Nijhof JGW, Braun KM, Giangreco A, van Pelt C, Kawamoto H, Boyd RL, Willemze R, Mullenders LHF, Watt FM, de Gruijl FR, van Ewijk W. The cell-surface marker MTS24 identifies a novel population of follicular keratinocytes with characteristics of progenitor cells. Development 2006; 133(15):3027-3037

Takeda H, Lyle S, Lazar AJF, Zouboulis CC, Smyth I, Watt FM. Human sebaceous tumors harbor inactivating mutations in LEF1. Nat Med 2006; 12(4):395-397

Turner FE, Broad S, Khanim FL, Jeanes A, Talma S, Hughes S, Tselepis C, Hotchin NA. Slug regulates integrin expression and cell proliferation in human epidermal keratinocytes. J Biol Chem 2006; 281(30):21321-21331

2005

Benitah SA, Frye M, Glogauer M, Watt FM. Stem cell depletion through epidermal deletion of Rac1. Science 2005; 309(5736):933-935

Cleator SJ, Makris A, Ashley SE, Lal R, Powles TJ. Good clinical response of breast cancers to neoadjuvant chemoendocrine therapy is associated with improved overall survival. Ann Oncol 2005; 16(2):267-272

Fernandez-Garcia NI, Palmer HG, Garcia M, Gonzalez-Martin A, del Rio M, Barettino D, Volpert O, Munoz A, Jimenez B. 1 alpha, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D-3 regulates the expression of Id1 and Id2 genes and the angiogenic phenotype of human colon carcinoma cells. Oncogene 2005; 24(43):6533-6544

Jadeja S, Smyth I, Pitera JE, Taylor MS, van Haelst M, Bentley E, McGregor L, Hopkins J, Chalepakis G, Philip N, Aytes AP, Watt FM, Darling SM, Jackson I, Woolf AS, Scambler PJ. Identification of a new gene mutated in Fraser syndrome and mouse myelencephalic blebs. Nat Genet 2005; 37(5):520-525

Li ER, Watt FM. Topo II alpha reporter mice reveal proliferative regions in the epidermis and small intestine. FEBS Lett 2005; 579(28):6479-6485

Lopez-Rovira T, Silva-Vargas V, Watt FM. Different consequences of beta 1 integrin deletion in neonatal and adult mouse epidermis reveal a context-dependent role of integrins in regulating proliferation, differentiation, and intercellular communication. J Invest Dermatol 2005; 125(6):1215-1227

Owens DM, Broad S, Yan XH, Benitah SA, Watt FM. Suprabasal alpha 5 beta 1 integrin expression stimulates formation of epidermal squamous cell carcinomas without disrupting TGF beta signaling or inducing spindle cell tumors. Mol Carcinog 2005; 44(1):60-66

Silva-Vargas V, Lo Celso C, Giangreco A, Ofstad T, Prowse DM, Braun KM, Watt FM. beta-catenin and Hedgehog signal strength can specify number and location of hair follicles in adult epidermis without recruitment of bulge stem cells. Dev Cell 2005; 9(1):121-131

2004

Evans RD, Jones J, Taylor C, Watt FM. Sequence variation in the I-like domain of the beta 1 integrin subunit in human oral squamous cell carcinomas. Cancer Lett 2004; 213(2):189-194

Groot KR, Sevilla LM, Nishi K, DiColandrea T, Watt FM. Kazrin, a novel periplakin-interacting protein associated with desmosomes and the keratinocyte plasma membrane. J Cell Biol 2004; 166(5):653-659

Hobbs RM, Silva-Vargas V, Groves R, Watt FM. Expression of activated MEK1 in differentiating epidermal cells is sufficient to generate hyperproliferative and inflammatory skin lesions. J Invest Dermatol 2004; 123(3):503-515

Janes SM, Ofstad TA, Campbell DH, Watt FM, Prowse DM. Transient activation of FOXN1 in keratinocytes induces a transcriptional programme that promotes terminal differentiation: contrasting roles of FOXN1 and Akt. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(18):4157-4168

Janes SM, Watt FM. Switch from alpha v beta 5 to alpha v beta 6 integrin expression protects squamous cell carcinomas from anoikis. J Cell Biol 2004; 166(3):419-431

Lo Celso C, Prowse DM, Watt FM. Transient activation of beta-catenin signalling in adult mouse epidermis is sufficient to induce new hair follicles but continuous activation is required to maintain hair follicle tumours. Development 2004; 131(8):1787-1799

Smyth I, Xin D, Taylor MS, Justice MJ, Beutler B, Jackson IJ. The extracellular matrix gene Frem1 is essential for the normal adhesion of the embryonic epidermis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2004; 101(37):13560-13565

Watt F. Best Paper Award 2003. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(10):1871-1871

2003

Braun KM, Niemann C, Jensen UB, Sundberg JP, Silva-Vargas V, Watt FM. Manipulation of stem cell proliferation and lineage commitment: visualisation of label-retaining cells in wholemounts of mouse epidermis. Development 2003; 130(21):5241-5255

Evans RD, Perkins VC, Henry A, Stephens PE, Robinson MK, Watt FM. A tumor-associated beta 1 integrin mutation that abrogates epithelial differentiation control. J Cell Biol 2003; 160(4):589-596

Frye M, Gardner C, Li ER, Arnold I, Watt FM. Evidence that Myc activation depletes the epidermal stem cell compartment by modulating adhesive interactions with the local microenvironment. Development 2003; 130(12):2793-2808

Haase I, Evans R, Pofahl R, Watt FM. Regulation of keratinocyte shape, migration and wound epithelialization by IGF-1- and EGF-dependent signalling pathways. J Cell Sci 2003; 116(15):3227-3238

Hobbs RM, Watt FM. Regulation of interleukin-1 alpha expression by integrins and epidermal growth factor receptor in keratinocytes from a mouse model of inflammatory skin disease. J Biol Chem 2003; 278(22):19798-19807

Legg J, Jensen UB, Broad S, Leigh I, Watt FM. Role of melanoma chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan in patterning stem cells in human interfollicular epidermis. Development 2003; 130(24):6049-6063

McMullan R, Lax S, Robertson VH, Radford DJ, Broad S, Watt FM, Rowles A, Croft DR, Olson MF, Hotchin NA. Keratinocyte differentiation is regulated by the Rho and ROCK signaling pathway. Curr Biol 2003; 13(24):2185-2189

Niemann C, Unden AB, Lyle S, Zouboulis CC, Toftgard R, Watt FM. Indian hedgehog and beta-catenin signaling: role in the sebaceous lineage of normal and neoplastic mammalian epidermis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003; 100(Suppl 1):11873-11880

Owens DM, Romero MR, Gardner C, Watt FM. Suprabasal alpha 6 beta 4 integrin expression in epidermis results in enhanced tumourigenesis and disruption of TGF beta signalling. J Cell Sci 2003; 116(18):3783-3791

2002

Grose R, Hutter C, Bloch W, Thorey I, Watt FM, Fassler R, Brakebusch C, Werner S. A crucial role of beta 1 integrins for keratinocyte migration in vitro and during cutaneous wound repair. Development 2002; 129(9):2303-2315

Karashima T, Watt FM. Interaction of periplakin and envoplakin with intermediate filaments. J Cell Sci 2002; 115(24):5027-5037

Niemann C, Owens DM, Hulsken J, Birchmeier W, Watt FM. Expression of Delta NLef1 in mouse epidermis results in differentiation of hair follicles into squamous epidermal cysts and formation of skin tumours. Development 2002; 129(1):95-109

Williams RRE, Broad S, Sheer D, Ragoussis J. Subchromosomal positioning of the epidermal differentiation complex (EDC) in keratinocyte and lymphoblast interphase nuclei. Exp Cell Res 2002; 272(2):163-175

Other Publications

Watt FM, Collins CA. Role of β-catenin in epidermal stem cell expansion, lineage selection and cancer. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Symposium on Quantitative Biology 2008; 6 November [E-pub ahead of print]

Watt FM, Estrach S, Ambler CA. Epidermal Notch signalling: differentiation, cancer and adhesion. Current Opinion in Cell Biology 2008; 20:171-9

Watt FM, Frye M, Benitah SA. MYC in mammalian epidermis: how can an oncogene stimulate differentiation? Nature Reviews Cancer 2008; 8:234-42

Watt FM, Sever R. Cell biology as the centuries change. J Cell Sci 2008; 121(1):1-2

Jones PH, Simons BD, Watt FM. Sic transit gloria: Farewell to the epidermal transit amplifying cell? Cell Stem Cell 2007; 1(4):371-381

Watt FM. Severing ties. J Cell Sci 2007; 120(24):4241-4241

Watt FM, Sever R. New JCS editor. J Cell Sci 2007; 120(6):919-919

Janes SM, Watt FM. New roles for integrins in squamous-cell carcinoma. Nat Rev Cancer 2006; 6(3):175-183

Watt FM. Women in cell biology: getting to the top. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2006; 7(4):287-290

Watt FM. Women in cell biology: how personal lives shape careers. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2006; 7(5):378-380

Watt FM, Lo Celso C, Silva-Vargas V. Epidermal stem cells: an update. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2006; 16(5):518-524

Smyth I, Scambler P. The genetics of Fraser syndrome and the blebs mouse mutants. Hum Mol Genet 2005; 14(Spec Iss 2):R269-R274

Watt FM, Leigh I. Irene Leigh - interview. J Cell Sci 2005; 118(4):655-657

Watt FM, Sever R. Consortia - the motion picture. J Cell Sci 2005; 118(21):4915

Braun KM, Watt FM. Epidermal label-retaining cells: background and recent applications. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 2004; 9(3):196-201

Green K, Watt F. Cell-to-cell contact and extracellular matrix. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2004; 16(5):465-469

Watt F, Cano A. Amparo Cano - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(15):3075-3076

Watt F, Dhouailly D. Danielle Dhouailly - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(10):1873-1874

Watt F, Fuchs E. Elaine Fuchs - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(21):4877-4879

Watt F, Hay B. Elizabeth Hay - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(20):4617-4618

Watt F, Heasman J. Janet Heasman - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(9):1617-1618

Watt F, Xin L. Xin Lu - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(26):6265-6266

Watt FM. Anna Starzinski-Powitz - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(4):519-520

Watt FM. Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(3):371-372

Watt FM. Mary Osborn - interview. J Cell Sci 2004; 117(8):1285-1286

Watt FM. Unexpected Hedgehog-Wnt interactions in epithelial differentiation. Trends Mol Med 2004; 10(12):577-580

Watt FM. Women in Science - series of interviews. J Cell Sci 2004; 117:various

Fuchs E, Watt FM. Cell Differentiation. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2003; 15(6):

Fuchs E, Watt FM. Cell differentiation: focus on epithelia. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2003; 15(6):738-739

Owens DM, Watt FM. Contribution of stem cells and differentiated cells to epidermal tumours. Nat Rev Cancer 2003; 3(6):444-451

Watt F. Fiona Watt. Curr Biol 2003; 13(9):R342-R342

Janes SM, Lowell S, Hutter C. Epidermal stem cells. J Pathol 2002; 197(4):479-491

Niemann C, Watt FM. Designer skin: lineage commitment in postnatal epidermis. Trends Cell Biol 2002; 12(4):185-192

Watt FM. Role of integrins in regulating epidermal adhesion, growth and differentiation. EMBO J 2002; 21(15):3919-3926

Watt FM. The stem cell compartment in human interfollicular epidermis. J Dermatol Sci 2002; 28(3):173-180