This skin disorder results from a defect in a gene that makes keratin, the protein that maintains skin structure through formation of a web-like network within cells.
Abnormal keratins make the skin fragile, causing it to blister easily.
For Roop's research, a normal copy of the keratin gene is introduced into the stem cells of the epidermis, or outer layer of skin. The corrected cells are then grafted onto the skin to see if they outgrow the defective cells and form a normal layer of skin. All Rights Reserved.