Regeneration of Fat Cells from Myofibroblasts During Wound Healing

January 2017 in “ Science ”

Maksim V. Plikus, Christian F. Guerrero‐Juarez, Mayumi Ito, Yun R. Li, Priya H. Dedhia, Ying Zheng, Mengle Shao, Raúl Ramos, Tsai‐Ching Hsi, Ji Won Oh, Xiaojie Wang, Armando P. Ramirez, Sara E. Konopelski, Arijh Elzein, Anne Wang, Rarinthip June Supapannachart, Hye Lim Lee, Churlzu Lim, Arben Nace, Amy Guo, Elsa Treffeisen, Thomas Andl, Ricardo N. Ramírez, Rabi Murad, Stefan Offermanns, Daniel Metzger, Pierre Chambon, Alan D. Widgerow, Tai‐Lan Tuan, A Mortazavi, Rana K. Gupta, Bruce A. Hamilton, Sarah E. Millar, Patrick Seale, Warren S. Pear, Mitchell A. Lazar, George Cotsarelis

myofibroblasts adipocytes hair follicles Ppary BMP signaling Zfp423 BMP4 BMP2

TLDR Some wound-healing cells can turn into fat cells around new hair growth in mice.

The study from 2017 found that myofibroblasts, a type of cell involved in wound healing, can transform into adipocytes (fat cells) around new hair follicles in mice. This process is regulated by the gene Ppary and involves BMP signaling and the transcription factor Zfp423. Interfering with BMP signaling or deleting Ppary or Zfp423 prevented the formation of new adipocytes, despite normal hair follicle growth. The study also demonstrated that human myofibroblasts could be reprogrammed into adipocytes using BMP4 or BMP2, suggesting a potential treatment for scars. The study involved various experiments with mice, including groups of 9, 8, 12, 4, 7, and 6 mice for different genetic modifications.

View this study on science.sciencemag.org →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

9 / 9 results

research Fate of Prominin-1 Expressing Dermal Papilla Cells During Homeostasis, Wound Healing, and Wnt Activation

32 citations, August 2015 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Prominin-1 expressing cells in the dermal papilla help regulate hair follicle size and communication but don't aid in skin repair.

research An Integrated Transcriptome Atlas of Embryonic Hair Follicle Progenitors, Their Niche, and the Developing Skin

173 citations, August 2015 in “Developmental cell”

The study identified unique genes in hair follicle cells and their environment, suggesting these genes help organize cells for hair growth.

research Principles and Mechanisms of Regeneration in the Mouse Model for Wound-Induced Hair Follicle Neogenesis

46 citations, March 2015 in “Regeneration”

Mice can grow new hair follicles after skin wounds through a process not involving existing hair stem cells, but requiring more research to understand fully.

research Epigenetic Control of Skin and Hair Regeneration After Wounding

36 citations, July 2014 in “Experimental Dermatology”

Skin and hair can regenerate after injury due to changes in gene activity, with potential links to how cancer spreads. Future research should focus on how new hair follicles form and the processes that trigger their creation.

research Fgf9 From Dermal γδ T Cells Induces Hair Follicle Neogenesis After Wounding

237 citations, June 2013 in “Nature Medicine”

A protein from certain immune cells is key for new hair growth after skin injury in mice.

research Skin Shedding and Tissue Regeneration in African Spiny Mice (Acomys)

418 citations, September 2012 in “Nature”

African spiny mice can regenerate skin, hair, and cartilage, but not muscle, and their unique abilities could be useful for regenerative medicine.

research SKPs Derive from Hair Follicle Precursors and Exhibit Properties of Adult Dermal Stem Cells

330 citations, December 2009 in “Cell stem cell”

SKPs are similar to adult skin stem cells and could help in skin repair and hair growth.

research Wnt-Dependent De Novo Hair Follicle Regeneration in Adult Mouse Skin After Wounding

829 citations, May 2007 in “Nature”

Hair follicles can regrow in wounded adult mouse skin using a process like embryo development.

research Organogenesis From Dissociated Cells: Generation of Mature Cycling Hair Follicles From Skin-Derived Cells

205 citations, April 2005 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Scientists have found a way to create hair follicles from skin cells of newborn mice, which can grow and cycle naturally when injected into adult mouse skin.

Similar Research

5 / 578 results

research The Role of Adipocytes in Tissue Regeneration and Stem Cell Niches

42 citations, May 2016 in “Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology”

Fat cells are important for tissue repair and stem cell support in various body parts.

research Emerging Nonmetabolic Functions of Skin Fat

65 citations, January 2018 in “Nature Reviews Endocrinology”

Skin fat has important roles in hair growth, skin repair, immune defense, and aging, and could be targeted for skin and hair treatments.

research Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Fibroblast Heterogeneity and Myeloid-Derived Adipocyte Progenitors in Murine Skin Wounds

301 citations, February 2019 in “Nature Communications”

The research found that different types of fibroblasts are involved in wound healing and that some blood cells can turn into fat cells during this process.

research The Role of Immature and Mature Adipocytes in Hair Cycling

30 citations, December 2018 in “Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism”

Both immature and mature fat cells are important for hair growth cycles, with immature cells promoting growth and mature cells possibly inhibiting it.

research Dermal White Adipose Tissue: A Newly Recognized Layer of Skin Innate Defense

49 citations, March 2019 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Skin fat plays a key role in immune defense and healing beyond just storing energy.