Regeneration of Skin Appendages and Nerves: Current Status and Further Challenges

The document from February 3, 2020, reviews the progress and challenges in regenerating skin appendages and nerves, emphasizing the importance of tissue-engineered skin (TES) for wound repair and regeneration. It discusses the need for better restoration of sensory functions and the use of stem cells, particularly BMSCs and iPS cells, and biomaterial scaffolds for skin and appendage regeneration. The review also covers the role of signaling pathways in hair follicle and sebaceous gland regeneration, the potential of stem cells for these purposes, and the challenges in maintaining the hair-inducing ability of dermal papilla cells. It highlights the complexity of sweat gland and nerve regeneration, the use of gene therapy and 3D culture techniques, and the role of neurotrophic factors and Schwann cells in nerve repair. The document concludes that while there has been progress, there is a need for further research to optimize TES constructs, understand the mechanisms of stem cell differentiation, and address safety concerns to achieve complete skin regeneration with functional appendages and nerves.