Project description:Global expression analysis of neural crest-like skin-derived precursors (SKPs) and Sox2-positive follicle dermal cells that SKPs originate from. In spite of the remarkable regenerative capacity of mammalian skin, an adult dermal stem cell has not yet been identified. Here, we provide evidence that SKPs, multipotent neural crest-like skin-derived precursors, represent an adult dermal stem cell. When transplanted into adult skin, SKPs can reconstitute the adult dermis, contribute to dermal wound-healing, home to a hair follicle niche, and instruct epidermal cells to make hair follicles. Hair follicle-derived SKPs self-renew, maintain their multipotency, and serially reconstitute hair follicles. The endogenous origin of SKPs are Sox2-positive follicle dermal cells that share a similar global gene expression profile with SKPs. These endogenous cells home back to their follicle niche, induce hair follicle morphogenesis, and differentiate into neural and dermal progeny. Hair follicle-associated dermal cells will move out of their niche to contribute to dermal maintenance and wound-healing. These studies therefore identify a dermal stem cell, and provide a biological rationale for the presence of a multipotent precursor within adult dermis, findings with important therapeutic implications.
Project description:Skin-derived precursors (SKPs) are multipotent dermal stem cells that reside within a hair follicle niche and that share properties with embryonic neural crest precursors. Here, we have asked whether SKPs and their endogenous dermal precursors originate from the neural crest or whether, like the dermis itself, they originate from multiple developmental origins. To do this, we used two different mouse Cre lines that allow us to perform lineage tracing: Wnt1-cre, which targets cells deriving from the neural crest, and Myf5-cre, which targets cells of a somite origin. By crossing these Cre lines to reporter mice, we show that the endogenous follicle-associated dermal precursors in the face derive from the neural crest, and those in the dorsal trunk derive from the somites, as do the SKPs they generate. In spite of these different developmental origins, SKPs from these two locations are functionally similar, even with regard to their ability to differentiate into Schwann cells, a cell type only thought to be generated from the neural crest. Analysis of global gene expression using microarrays confirmed that facial and dorsal SKPs exhibit a very high degree of similarity, and that they are also very similar to SKPs derived from ventral dermis, which has a lateral plate origin. However, these developmentally-distinct SKPs also retain differential expression of a small number of genes that reflect their developmental origins. Thus, an adult neural crest-like dermal precursor can be generated from a non-neural crest origin, a finding with broad implications for the many neuroendocrine cells in the body. We obtained three independent isolates each of dorsal trunk SKPs, ventral trunk SKPs and facial SKPs and four isolates of MSCs, all generated from adult rats. RNA samples deriving from these cells were analyzed on the Affymetrix GeneChip Rat Gene 1.0 ST Array.
Project description:Skin-derived precursors (SKPs) are multipotent dermal stem cells that reside within a hair follicle niche and that share properties with embryonic neural crest precursors. Here, we have asked whether SKPs and their endogenous dermal precursors originate from the neural crest or whether, like the dermis itself, they originate from multiple developmental origins. To do this, we used two different mouse Cre lines that allow us to perform lineage tracing: Wnt1-cre, which targets cells deriving from the neural crest, and Myf5-cre, which targets cells of a somite origin. By crossing these Cre lines to reporter mice, we show that the endogenous follicle-associated dermal precursors in the face derive from the neural crest, and those in the dorsal trunk derive from the somites, as do the SKPs they generate. In spite of these different developmental origins, SKPs from these two locations are functionally similar, even with regard to their ability to differentiate into Schwann cells, a cell type only thought to be generated from the neural crest. Analysis of global gene expression using microarrays confirmed that facial and dorsal SKPs exhibit a very high degree of similarity, and that they are also very similar to SKPs derived from ventral dermis, which has a lateral plate origin. However, these developmentally-distinct SKPs also retain differential expression of a small number of genes that reflect their developmental origins. Thus, an adult neural crest-like dermal precursor can be generated from a non-neural crest origin, a finding with broad implications for the many neuroendocrine cells in the body.
Project description:Here we have developed a novel FACS strategy to prospectively isolate hair follicle dermal stem cells, dermal sheath and dermal papilla cells from adult skin initiating synchronous hair follicle regeneration and identified Hic1 as a marker of hfDSCs and Rspondins as stimulators of hfDSCs and epithelial cells, and subsequently hair follicle regeneration
Project description:The dermal sheath cup is the peribulbar component of the hair follicle dermal sheath, and has hair inductive potential similar to the dermal papilla. To characterize it in comparison with other mesenchymal follicle tissuesparts, we performed gene expression profiling of intact dermal sheath cups, which were separated from hair follicles by microdissection. Gene expression profiles of the dermal sheath cup, dermal papilla and upper dermal sheath were compared. We identified a dermal sheath cup signature composed of 32 upregulated genes, which included extracellular matrix components and BMP binding mollecules, while dermal papilla signature included a number of dermal papilla signature genes which had already reported. Analyses of upstream regulators showed that TGF- b1 is a putative regulator of these genes. These results suggest some of molecular mechanism that contributes to human dermal sheath cup properties, which could be useful for hair follicle bioengineering.
Project description:Dermal lymphatics form a network that connects all the hair follicles in skin and localize in proximity to the Hair Follicle Stem Cell. RNA sequencing analyses of isolated dermal lymphatics at two different time points of the hair follicle cycle (P55 and P70) indicate the existence of dynamic signaling networks associated with lymphatic remodeling, immune trafficking, and HF signaling.
Project description:The use of dermal papilla cells for hair follicle (HF) regeneration is long accepted much attention. However, cultured dermal papilla cells tend to lose the hair-inducible capability during passaging, which restricts its application. Increasing evidences indicate that dermal papilla cells exert their regulatory function of HF growth mainly through their unique paracrine properties, opening up a way to exosome therapies.This study aimed to explore the effects of exosomes from high and low-passaged human scalp follicle dermal papilla cells (DP-Exos) on hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) activation and hair growth, and to investigate the underline mechanism. DP-Exos were isolated by ultracentrifugation and cultured with human scalp follicles and HFSCs. The hair elongation and cell proliferation was assessed. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western-blot were performed to detect the expression levels of a class of miRNAs and proteins which have positive roles in regulating hair growth and HFSCs proliferation. High throughput miRNA sequencing of miRNAs in high (P8) and low-passaged (P3) DP-Exos was performed, and the utmost miRNA and its target gene was identified via bioinformatics analysis.
Project description:Here, we asked whether we could identify pharmacological agents that enhance endogenous stem cell function to promote skin repair, focusing on SKPs (skin-derived precursors) a dermal precursor cell population. Libraries of compounds already used in humans were screened for their ability to enhance the self-renewal of human and rodent SKPs. We identified and validated 5 such compounds, and showed that two of them, alprostadil and trimebutine maleate, enhanced the repair of full thickness skin wounds in middle-aged mice. Moreover, SKPs isolated from drug-treated skin displayed long-term increases in self-renewal when cultured in basal growth medium without drugs. Both alprostadil and trimebutine maleate likely mediated increases in SKPs self-renewal by moderate hyperactivation of the MEK-ERK pathway. These findings identify candidates for potential clinical use in human skin repair, and provide support for the idea that pharmacological activation of endogenous tissue precursors represents a viable therapeutic strategy. We obtained three independent isolates of SKPs from newborn Sprague-Dawley rat pups. Secondary SKPs spheres were dissociated, treated with 100 nM of alprostadil, trimebutine maleate or 100 nM of both trimebutine maleate and trametinib for 24 hour. RNA samples deriving from these cells were analyzed on the Affymetrix GeneChip Rat Gene 2.0 ST Array.
Project description:Here, we asked whether we could identify pharmacological agents that enhance endogenous stem cell function to promote skin repair, focusing on SKPs (skin-derived precursors) a dermal precursor cell population. Libraries of compounds already used in humans were screened for their ability to enhance the self-renewal of human and rodent SKPs. We identified and validated 5 such compounds, and showed that two of them, alprostadil and trimebutine maleate, enhanced the repair of full thickness skin wounds in middle-aged mice. Moreover, SKPs isolated from drug-treated skin displayed long-term increases in self-renewal when cultured in basal growth medium without drugs. Both alprostadil and trimebutine maleate likely mediated increases in SKPs self-renewal by moderate hyperactivation of the MEK-ERK pathway. These findings identify candidates for potential clinical use in human skin repair, and provide support for the idea that pharmacological activation of endogenous tissue precursors represents a viable therapeutic strategy.