Skin and hair: models for exploring organ regeneration
April 2008
in “Human Molecular Genetics”
TLDR Skin and hair can help us understand organ regeneration, especially how certain stem cells might be used to form new organs.
The 2008 document reviewed the potential of skin and hair as models for studying organ regeneration, particularly focusing on the role of bulge stem cells in hair follicle regeneration. It highlighted that hair follicles regenerate multiple times during a human's life and that bulge stem cells have developmental plasticity, which might allow them to form other organs. The review also discussed the development of tools to manipulate these stem cells and the advantages of using adult stem cells for organ regeneration due to their niche environments and lower cancer risk, despite their rarity and quiescence. Additionally, the document reported findings that non-bulge stem cells from hair follicles can remain in the epidermis post-wound and contribute to new hair follicle formation, which requires WNT signals. It concluded that understanding the regulation of adult stem-cell proliferation and the mechanisms of organ regeneration is crucial for advancing regenerative medicine, particularly for skin and hair.
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research Skin and hair: models for exploring organ regeneration
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