Development of a Complex Skin Organ in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Organoids
human induced pluripotent stem cells hiPSCs skin organoids SKOs hair follicles sebaceous glands sweat glands Merkel cells hair placodes stem/progenitor populations hair follicle morphogenesis developmental skin diseases skin reconstructive surgeries stem cells hair follicle development skin diseases skin surgeries
TLDR Scientists created skin-like structures from stem cells that include features like hair and sweat glands.
Researchers have developed protocols to create complex skin organoids (SKOs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) that include skin appendages such as hair follicles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, fat, and touch-receptive Merkel cells. Using three different hiPSC lines, they observed the formation of hair placodes by Day 65, which developed into hair follicles by Day 83, and confirmed the presence of various stem/progenitor populations by Day 120. These SKOs, which mimic the cellular composition and architecture of second-trimester fetal skin tissues, represent a significant advancement in understanding hair follicle morphogenesis, modeling developmental skin diseases, and potential applications in skin reconstructive surgeries.
