Transcriptional Profiling of Putative Human Epithelial Stem Cells

This study focused on the transcriptional profiling of putative human epithelial stem cells, specifically alpha 6 + /MHCI - cells, isolated from neonatal foreskin tissue. The research aimed to understand the gene expression profiles of these cells compared to transient amplifying cells and existing data on hair follicle stem cells. The findings revealed that alpha 6 + /MHCI - cells were enriched in mRNAs for surface receptors, cell adhesion molecules, and components of IFN signaling, while showing lower levels of transcripts related to energy metabolism and cell cycle processes. Notably, the Notch1 and NF-κB signaling pathways were downregulated in these cells. The study concluded that alpha 6 + /MHCI - cells possess characteristics of stem cells and share similarities with mouse hair follicle bulge cells, suggesting they may be enriched for stem cells. This research provided the first comprehensive gene expression profile of human epithelial stem cells, contributing to the understanding of epidermal stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.