Age-Associated Inflammation Inhibits Epidermal Stem Cell Function

The study reported novel alterations in hair follicle stem cells during skin aging, including increased numbers, decreased function, and an inability to tolerate stress. High-throughput RNA sequencing, cytokine arrays, and functional assays identified an age-associated imbalance in epidermal Jak-Stat signaling that inhibited stem cell function. The findings suggested that the decline in stem cell function during aging might be part of broader tumor-suppressive mechanisms.