Long-Term Role of Hair Follicle Stem Cells in Epidermal Wound Healing

November 2025 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”

Emi Inamura, Mika Watanabe, Yasumitsu Hirano, G Trajkovic, Shinsuke Kato, Ken Natsuga, Hideyuki Ujiie

hair follicle stem cells HFSCs Lrig1+ KRT6-lineage cells epidermal regeneration epidermal wound healing murine model epidermal integrity hair cycle tissue homeostasis dermal fibrosis epithelial integrity

TLDR Hair follicle stem cells help maintain skin health after injury.

Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs), particularly Lrig1+ and KRT6-lineage cells, play a crucial role in epidermal regeneration following wound repair. In a murine model of epidermal injury, these cells were found to persist in the regenerated epidermis for over 12 weeks, indicating their role as stem cells in maintaining epidermal integrity. Despite a temporary reduction in hair follicle density and dynamic changes in epidermal thickness post-wounding, the hair cycle normalized, and tissue homeostasis was preserved without dermal fibrosis. This study highlights that while selective epidermal injury causes transient disruptions, it does not permanently damage epithelial integrity, with HFSCs significantly contributing to long-term epidermal maintenance.

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