Epidermal Keratinocyte Stem Cells: Their Maintenance and Regulation

In the 1992 paper, the maintenance and regulation of epidermal keratinocyte stem cells were explored, highlighting the role of the epidermal Langerhans cell (ELC) and dermal cells in creating stem cell 'niches' and contributing to cellular diversity. The paper considered various models of stem cell maintenance and discussed the role of the microenvironment in stem cell self-renewal. It was found that the dermis is crucial for maintaining keratinocyte stem cells, as it provides essential signals for their self-renewal, and that the bulge region of the hair follicle may contain cells with a greater capacity for self-renewal than interfollicular keratinocytes. The document also noted the heterogeneity of basal keratinocytes in their proliferation and maturation potential, suggesting that some keratinocytes have a higher self-renewal capacity and are refractory to terminal maturation stimuli. The paper concluded that while significant knowledge exists about keratinocyte stem cells, many questions remain, particularly regarding the identification of lineage markers and the genes regulating keratinocyte differentiation.