Cell Death Functions in Hair Follicle Regeneration
April 2023
in “
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
”
TLDR Proper cell death regulation is crucial for normal hair follicle regeneration and skin remodeling.
This study investigates the role of cell death in hair follicle (HF) regeneration, focusing on the impact of defective apoptosis on hair regeneration and skin remodeling. By overexpressing the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in murine epidermis (Bcl-2EOE mice), researchers observed a block in cell death during the catagen phase, leading to an enlarged HF bulge and altered stem cell (SC) niche architecture during telogen. This resulted in a delayed hair regeneration cycle due to stalled SC proliferation at anagen onset. The study also found abnormal regulation of dermal white adipose tissue in Bcl-2EOE mice, with accelerated lipolysis and thinning of the adipocyte layer during catagen. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) revealed changes in cellular crosstalk between keratinocytes and other tissues. The findings highlight the importance of proper cell death regulation for HF SC niche function and provide new insights into hair regeneration and tissue remodeling mechanisms.