The Epithelial Stem Cell Niche in Skin

The document from January 1, 2017, provides a comprehensive overview of epithelial stem cells in the skin, detailing their roles in regeneration and maintenance across various skin structures such as the epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous gland, and sweat gland. It emphasizes the significance of the stem cell niche, which comprises neighboring cells and noncellular components like the extracellular matrix, for supporting skin regeneration and maintaining cellular integrity. The paper discusses the challenges in engineering human skin substitutes, the advances in understanding stem cell function through mouse genetic models and in vivo imaging, and the distinct stem cell populations and their hierarchical organization. It also outlines the signaling pathways involved in stem cell regulation, including TGFß and EGFR signaling, and the variation in stem cell behavior depending on body location. The document concludes that these findings are vital for stem cell isolation and molecular characterization, which could lead to therapeutic applications for skin disorders and injuries.