TLDR Live imaging has advanced our understanding of stem cell behavior and raised new research questions.
The document from December 1, 2016, reviewed the impact of live imaging technology on stem cell research, revealing new insights into stem cell behavior, interactions with their niches, and responses to injury. It highlighted discoveries such as the interconvertibility of spermatogonial stem cells in the mouse testis, the role of the spindle assembly checkpoint in C. elegans germline stem cells, and the dynamic interactions between hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and their bone marrow environment. Live imaging has shown that epidermal stem cells in the basal layer are equipotent, that dying cells in mouse hair follicles are phagocytosed by neighboring cells, and that HSCs change behavior in response to infection. It also revealed that tissue architecture guides stem cell behavior during wound repair and that β-Catenin activation in the hair stem cell niche regulates tissue growth. These findings have advanced our understanding of stem cell dynamics, tissue maintenance, repair, and cancer development, emphasizing the importance of live imaging in uncovering complex biological processes and the need for further research using fluorescent reporters and optogenetic tools.
57 citations,
January 2014 in “Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine” Skin stem cells maintain and repair the outer layer of skin, with some types being essential for healing wounds.
211 citations,
April 2013 in “Development” More dermal papilla cells in hair follicles lead to larger, healthier hair, while fewer cells cause hair thinning and loss.
305 citations,
June 2012 in “Nature” Hair regeneration needs dynamic cell behavior and mesenchyme presence for stem cell activation.
351 citations,
February 2010 in “Nature Cell Biology” Basal cell carcinoma mostly starts from cells in the upper skin layers, not hair follicle stem cells.
54 citations,
January 2016 in “Cell reports” Activating β-catenin in different skin stem cells causes various types of hair growth and skin tumors.
83 citations,
May 2013 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” Skin development in mammals is controlled by key proteins and signals from underlying cells, involving stem cells for maintenance and repair.
384 citations,
June 2005 in “Genes & development” β-catenin is essential for stem cell activation and proliferation in hair follicles.
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.
117 citations,
March 2017 in “Nature Communications” Macrophages help regrow hair by activating stem cells using AKT/β-catenin and TNF.
31 citations,
August 2021 in “Stem Cell Research & Therapy” The conclusion is that understanding how hair follicle stem cells live or die is important for maintaining healthy tissue and repairing injuries, and could help treat hair loss, but there are still challenges to overcome.
