The observation that abolition of p53/p21 response as well as apoptosis by p53 deficiency did not rescue developmental defects and survival of the TRF2Δ/Δ-K5-Cre p53−/− mice indicates that these two processes, cell cycle arrest and programmed cell death induced by TRF2 deletion and mediated by p53, are not the major cellular responses responsible for the severe skin atrophy and morbidity of TRF2-deleted mice. Here, TP53 is linked to skin atrophy.