The cell-surface marker MTS24 identifies a novel population of follicular keratinocytes with characteristics of progenitor cells

The study identified a novel population of murine follicular keratinocytes marked by the cell-surface marker MTS24, which exhibited characteristics of progenitor cells. These MTS24-positive keratinocytes were located between sebaceous glands and the hair follicle bulge and were distinct from bulge stem cells. They demonstrated high proliferative potential, forming large colonies more efficiently than other keratinocyte populations, and had a gene expression profile similar to bulge stem cells. The research suggested that MTS24 could serve as a marker for identifying progenitor keratinocytes with significant proliferative capacity, contributing to hair follicle regeneration and repair. This finding had potential implications for understanding hair growth and developing therapeutic applications for hair loss conditions such as alopecia.