Transcriptomic Landscape of Early Hair Follicle and Epidermal Development

November 2022 in “ bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) ”

Ana‐Marija Sulic, Rishi Das Roy, Verdiana Papagno, Qiang Lan, Riikka Saikkonen, Jukka Jernvall, Irma Thesleff, Marja L. Mikkola

hair follicle epidermis transcriptomics hair placodes interplacodal epithelium cell populations marker genes cell fates differentiation programs ontogeny skin appendages progenitors

Studysummary In this study, researchers mapped gene expression in developing hair follicles to reveal unknown cell populations and markers, suggesting early establishment of cell fates in hair placodes.

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The study investigated the morphogenesis of ectodermal organs, focusing on hair follicles and epidermis, using bulk and single-cell transcriptomics along with pseudotime modeling. Researchers developed a comprehensive transcriptomic profile of cellular populations in hair placodes and interplacodal epithelium, identifying previously unknown cell populations and marker genes, such as early suprabasal and genuine interfollicular basal markers. They proposed the identity of suprabasal progenitors and identified four distinct hair placode cell populations organized in three spatially distinct areas, suggesting early establishment of cell fates. The study provided an online tool to facilitate further research on skin appendages and their progenitors.

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