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

The study explored the behavior of Prominin-1 (Prom1) expressing cells in the dermal papilla (DP) of hair follicles, focusing on their role in hair growth cycles, wound healing, and response to Wnt/β-catenin signaling. It was found that while the total number of cells in the DP decreased over time, the proportion of Prom1-expressing cells increased, suggesting that these cells migrate into the DP rather than proliferate. During wound healing, a subset of Prom1+/Sox2+ cells contributed to the dermis, but Prom1+ DP cells did not migrate out of the DP. When β-catenin was activated in Prom1+ DP cells, the DP size increased, but the proportion of Prom1-expressing cells remained unchanged, indicating that the signaling was non-cell autonomous. The study concluded that Prom1+ DP cells are involved in regulating DP size and intercellular communication but do not contribute to dermal repair. The study's findings were supported by at least three biological replicates per time point.