Physiological Function of Krox20 (Egr2) in Epithelial Stem Cells
Krox20 Egr2 epithelial stem cells hair follicles keratinocytes hair shaft melanocyte differentiation hair pigmentation epidermal differentiation Notch pathway Wnt/β-catenin pathway epidermal homeostasis stem cell populations hair loss skin cells hair growth skin differentiation cell signaling pathways
TLDR Krox20 is important for maintaining stem cells in the skin and affects hair growth and color.
The study investigates the role of Krox20 (Egr2), a transcription factor, in epithelial stem cells within hair follicles. It identifies a population of Krox20-expressing keratinocytes that differentiate to form the hair shaft and mediate 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. These effects are mediated through the Notch and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, highlighting Krox20's importance in maintaining epidermal homeostasis and stem cell populations.
