The paralogues Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) control cell proliferation and cell fate determination from embryogenesis to ageing. In the skin epidermis, these proteins are involved in both homeostatic cell renewal and injury-induced regeneration and also drive carcinogenesis and other pathologies. YAP and TAZ are usually considered downstream of the Hippo pathway. However, they are the central integrating link for the signalling microenvironment since they are involved in the interplay with signalling cascades induced by growth factors, cytokines, and physical parameters of the extracellular matrix. In this review, we summarise the evidence on how YAP and TAZ are activated in epidermal keratinocytes; how YAP/TAZ-mediated signalling cooperates with other signalling molecules at the plasma membrane, cytoplasmic, and nuclear levels; and how YAP/TAZ ultimately controls transcription programmes, defining epidermal cell fate.

Modern translational medicine, pharmacology and other fields require effective skin cryopreservation technology. Vitrification is promising technology for this aim. This rapid freezing technique minimizes hexagonal ice crystals formation, time of stress condition for cells in samples and dehydration both in the cytoplasm of cells and in the extracellular space. This study is aimed at finding the optimal combination of extracellular (sucrose, mannitol, polyethylene glycol and FBS) and intracellular (DMSO, glycerol, ethylene glycol) cryoprotective agents to achieve the highest viability and tissue structure preservation of skin samples after vitrification.