Physiological Function of Krox20 (Egr2) in Epithelial Stem Cells
April 2021
in “
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
”
Krox20 Egr2 epithelial stem cells hair follicles keratinocytes hair shaft formation melanocyte differentiation hair pigmentation epidermal differentiation epidermal stem cell markers apoptosis Notch pathway Wnt/βcatenin pathway epidermal homeostasis stem cell population maintenance hair loss stem cells skin cells hair growth cell survival cell differentiation
TLDR Krox20 is crucial for hair growth and maintaining skin stem cells.
The study explored the role of Krox20, a transcription factor, in epithelial stem cells within hair follicles. It was found that Krox20-expressing keratinocytes contribute to hair shaft formation and melanocyte differentiation for hair pigmentation. Ablation of Krox20 in skin epithelial cells led to spontaneous hair loss and increased epidermal differentiation, while overexpression resulted in the upregulation of epidermal stem cell markers and reduced apoptosis, indicating a role in maintaining stemness and cell survival. These effects were mediated through the Notch and Wnt/βcatenin pathways, highlighting Krox20's importance in regulating epidermal homeostasis and stem cell population maintenance.
