EGF–FGF2 Stimulates the Proliferation and Improves the Neuronal Commitment of Mouse Epidermal Neural Crest Stem Cells (EPI-NCSCs)

The study demonstrated that the combination of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor type 2 (FGF2) stimulated the proliferation and enhanced the neuronal commitment of epidermal neural crest stem cells (EPI-NCSCs) isolated from the bulge of mouse whiskers. This treatment led to morphological changes from a neural crest-like fibroblastic form to a neuronal-like morphology, accompanied by the reorganization of neural cytoskeletal proteins and upregulation of neuronal markers such as βIII-tubulin. The findings suggested that EGF–FGF2 could be beneficial in neuronal differentiation protocols, highlighting its potential use in cell therapy, drug screening, and tissue engineering.