TLDR Increased Stat3 activity reduces hair follicle stem cells and boosts other stem/progenitor cells.
The study investigated the effects of constitutive Stat3 activation on keratinocyte behavior, particularly focusing on keratinocyte stem cells (KSCs) in vivo. Using BK5.Stat3C transgenic mice, which express an active form of Stat3 in the epidermis and bulge region KSCs, researchers observed a significant reduction in CD34+/α6 integrin+ cells compared to non-transgenic mice. This was accompanied by an increase in Lgr-6, Lrig-1, and Sca-1 populations, and changes in gene expression related to c-myc, β-catenin, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). The study concluded that elevated Stat3 activity led to the depletion of hair follicle KSCs and an increase in stem/progenitor cells above the bulge region, highlighting Stat3's role in keratinocyte stem/progenitor cell homeostasis.
49 citations
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October 2009 in “Cancer research” Disrupting Stat3 in hair follicle stem cells greatly reduces skin tumor formation.
503 citations
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May 2009 in “Cell stem cell” Lrig1 marks a unique group of stem cells in mouse skin that can become different skin cell types.
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December 2008 in “Molecular biology of the cell” Disrupting Smad4 in mouse skin causes early hair follicle stem cell activity that leads to their eventual depletion.
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October 2008 in “Nature Genetics” Lgr5 is a marker for active, long-lasting stem cells in mouse hair follicles.
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January 2008 in “Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology” Beta-catenin is crucial for skin cell growth, development, and cancer formation.
207 citations
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July 2006 in “Development” MTS24 marks a new type of skin cell that helps hair growth and repair.
384 citations
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June 2005 in “Genes & development” β-catenin is essential for stem cell activation and proliferation in hair follicles.
315 citations
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June 2001 in “Nature Genetics” 338 citations
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April 2001 in “Current Biology” c-Myc activation in mouse skin increases sebaceous gland growth and affects hair follicle development.
1010 citations
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August 2000 in “Cell” Hair follicle stem cells can form both hair follicles and skin.
276 citations
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January 2005 in “International review of cytology” More research is needed to understand how hair keratins work and their role in hair disorders.
199 citations
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January 2004 in “The International Journal of Developmental Biology” Hair follicle growth and development are controlled by specific genes and molecular signals.
29 citations
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April 2003 in “Experimental dermatology” Human hair follicles grown in vitro maintain normal keratin patterns and structure.
