TLDR Aging reduces dermal sheath cells, affecting youthful skin appearance.
The study used single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze 72,048 skin cells from 3 young and 4 old Caucasian female participants, revealing that dermal sheath (DS) cells with stem cell characteristics declined with age, contributing to skin aging. Key DS-related genes, such as HES1, COL11A1, MYL4, and CTNNB1, were identified as regulators of stem cell features. DS cells were found to secrete proteins like Activin A, which enhanced keratinocyte proliferation and fibroblast collagen production, promoting a youthful skin appearance. These findings highlighted the potential of targeting DS cells for anti-aging therapies.
14 citations
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December 2020 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Aging causes changes in the scalp that can affect hair growth and lead to older-looking hair in women.
22 citations
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March 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” DSC cell injections significantly improved hair density and diameter, showing potential as a hair loss treatment.
225 citations
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April 2018 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Two main types of fibroblasts with unique functions and additional subtypes were identified in human skin.
11 citations
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January 2018 in “Acta dermato-venereologica” Researchers found specific genes in the part of hair follicles that could help treat hair disorders.
184 citations
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November 2014 in “Developmental Cell” Hair follicle dermal stem cells are key for regenerating parts of the hair follicle and determining hair type.
128 citations
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October 2011 in “Development” Activating a protein called β-catenin in adult skin can make it behave like young skin, potentially helping with skin aging and hair loss.
28 citations
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December 2008 in “Laboratory investigation” Activin activation in skin cells speeds up wound healing without affecting scar quality.
