Epidermal Development in Mammals: Key Regulators, Signals from Beneath, and Stem Cells

May 2013 in “ International Journal of Molecular Sciences ”

Shuang Liu, Huishan Zhang, Enkui Duan

epidermal development p63 mesenchymal signals Wnt/β-catenin PDGF Shh TGF-β epidermal stem cells hair follicles hair follicle stem cells ES cells iPS cells Wnt signaling platelet-derived growth factor sonic hedgehog transforming growth factor-beta embryonic stem cells induced pluripotent stem cells

TLDR Skin development in mammals is controlled by key proteins and signals from underlying cells, involving stem cells for maintenance and repair.

The document from May 24, 2013, provides a comprehensive review of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying epidermal development in mammals. It emphasizes the importance of key regulators such as p63 in epidermal commitment and stratification, and the role of mesenchymal signals in driving these processes. The review details the stages of epidermal development, including the formation of different skin layers and hair follicles, and the signaling pathways involved, such as Wnt/β-catenin, PDGF, Shh, and TGF-β. It also discusses the behavior of epidermal stem cells in homeostasis and regeneration, highlighting two models of stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the interfollicular epidermis and the role of hair follicle stem cells in hair regeneration. Additionally, the document reports on the progress in deriving epidermal cells from ES cells and iPS cells, noting the potential for personalized therapies for skin disorders but also the challenges that remain. The review was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

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