The Role of Cell Polarity Regulator aPKC in Hair Follicle Stem Cell Maintenance and Wound Healing
June 2020
in “
Nihon Ika Daigaku Igakkai Zasshi
”
Studysummary This study found that aPKCλ, but not aPKCζ, plays a critical role in maintaining hair follicle stem cell populations and promoting wound healing in the epidermis. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study examined the roles of aPKC isoforms, aPKCλ and aPKCζ, in hair follicle stem cell maintenance and wound healing using genetically modified mice. It was found that aPKCλ was crucial for maintaining HFSC populations and proper hair cycling, as its deletion led to progressive hair loss, abnormal hair cycling, and reduced HFSC quiescence. Additionally, aPKCλ was essential for efficient wound healing, as its absence resulted in delayed healing and disrupted cell orientation towards wounds. In contrast, aPKCζ deletion did not affect HFSC maintenance or wound healing, indicating that aPKCλ and aPKCζ were not functionally equivalent, with aPKCλ being more critical for these processes.
