Cloning and Induced Differentiation of Skin Stem Cells In Vitro

The study explored the culture methods for epithelial stem cells (ESCS) from newborns, using cells obtained from fetal umbilical skin. These cells were isolated and identified through specific markers and were shown to form colonies in vitro. The research demonstrated that these stem cells were pluripotent, as they could differentiate into structures resembling hair or bone cells while maintaining cytokeratin 19 positivity. The findings suggested that ESCS were multipotent, capable of differentiating into various epidermal cell types, including hair cells, and proposed new insights into their potential roles in the hair cycle.