Matricellular Proteins in the Homeostasis, Regeneration, and Aging of Skin

September 2023 in “ International journal of molecular sciences ”

Erna Raja, Maria Thea Rane Dela Cruz Clarin, Hiromi Yanagisawa

TLDR Special proteins are important for skin balance, healing, and aging, and affect skin stem cells.

The review "Matricellular Proteins in the Homeostasis, Regeneration, and Aging of Skin" discusses the crucial role of matricellular proteins in skin health and function. These proteins are secreted extracellular proteins that support the structural function of many extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagens, within skin compartments. They influence the fate and self-renewal ability of skin stem cells, promoting heterogeneity and fitness of epidermal stem cells into old age, enhancing epidermal stem cell growth and wound healing, and modulating stem cell activity during the hair cycle. They are also involved in maintaining the structural integrity of the skin, influencing adipogenesis, stabilizing the connection between arrector pili muscles and hair follicles, and regulating differentiation in the sebaceous gland. However, their exact role in modulating skin stem cell behavior, plasticity, or cell–cell communications during wound healing and aging is still largely unknown and requires further research.

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