Epidermal Stem Cells Do Not Communicate Through Gap Junctions

January 2002 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”

Maja Matić, W. Howard Evans, Peter R. Brink, Marcia Simon

epidermal stem cells gap junctions connexin 43 Cx43 basal keratinocytes neonatal foreskin follicular bulge region mouse epidermis label-retaining cells K19 connexin 26 Cx26 connexin 32 Cx32 connexin 40 Cx40

TLDR Epidermal stem cells don't use gap junctions to communicate.

The study concluded that epidermal stem cells did not communicate through gap junctions and could be identified by the absence of connexin 43 (Cx43) expression. Approximately 10% of basal keratinocytes in neonatal foreskin and the follicular bulge region were Cx43 negative, indicating restricted gap junction communication. In mouse epidermis, most slowly cycling cells, identified as label-retaining cells, also did not express Cx43. The research highlighted that stem cells in the bulge area of hair follicles, which express high levels of K19, lacked detectable levels of other connexins like Cx26, Cx32, and Cx40.

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research Involvement of Follicular Stem Cells in Forming Not Only the Follicle but Also the Epidermis

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