TLDR Skin fat helps with body temperature control and has other active roles in health.
The document from 2015 explores the multifaceted role of dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT) in physiological processes such as thermoregulation, immune response, hair growth, and wound healing. It reveals that dWAT is not just an inert layer but actively participates in insulation, reducing heat loss, and suppressing brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenic programs. dWAT expands in cold conditions, supports hair follicle growth, and produces antimicrobial peptides in response to bacterial infections. The review also discusses the potential evolutionary significance of lipid insulation and the consequences of deficient dWAT expansion, such as chronic BAT activation. It raises questions about dWAT's role in humans, including its relationship with gender, obesity, skin diseases, and metabolic conditions. The document underscores the importance of understanding dWAT's functions and suggests that manipulating its thickness could have therapeutic implications.
88 citations,
August 2014 in “PLOS genetics” Syndecan-1 is essential for maintaining skin fat and preventing cold stress.
437 citations,
August 2014 in “Cell metabolism” Turning white fat into brown-like fat could help fight obesity and type 2 diabetes.
218 citations,
May 2014 in “Experimental Dermatology” Skin fat cells help with skin balance, hair growth, and healing wounds.
130 citations,
March 2014 in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America” Epidermal Wnt/β-catenin signaling controls fat cell formation and hair growth.
238 citations,
March 2013 in “Development” Fat cells help recruit healing cells and build skin structure during wound healing.
499 citations,
September 2011 in “Cell” Fat-related cells are important for initiating hair growth.
36 citations,
February 2018 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Sweat glands and hair follicles are structurally connected within a specific layer of skin fat.
5 citations,
January 2019 in “Elsevier eBooks” Current therapies cannot fully regenerate adult skin without scars; more research is needed for scar-free healing.
8 citations,
May 2021 in “Bioengineering & translational medicine” Hair growth environment recreated with challenges; stem cells make successful skin organoids.
2 citations,
September 2022 in “Frontiers in Immunology” T-regulatory cells are important for skin health and can affect hair growth and reduce skin inflammation.
211 citations,
May 2018 in “Trends in cell biology” Different types of skin cells play specific roles in development, healing, and cancer.
115 citations,
December 2017 in “Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews-Developmental Biology” Skin cells called dermal fibroblasts are important for skin growth, hair growth, and wound healing.
