Lineage Potential, Plasticity, and Environmental Reprogramming of Epithelial Stem/Progenitor Cells

The document reviewed the ability of environmental cues to reprogram epithelial cells and alter their natural fate, with a focus on the plasticity and lineage potential of epithelial cells from various tissues such as the epidermis, hair follicle, cornea, oesophagus, thymus, and pancreas. It highlighted examples of epithelial cells responding to environmental signals to differentiate into complex structures like hair follicles and discussed the reprogramming of cells from one type of epithelium to another, with potential clinical applications in cell therapy. The review also detailed the plasticity of thymic epithelial cells (TECs), which can contribute to thymic morphogenesis in vivo and form functional structures, and when introduced into mouse skin, can contribute to the formation of epidermis and hair follicles, showing a stable change in their transcriptional profile indicative of environmental reprogramming to multipotent stem cells. The document suggested that a deeper understanding of the signals and mechanisms behind such plasticity could lead to therapeutic applications where damaged or lost epithelium could be replaced.