Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular cells,...

Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells

Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells

Epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) are mainly located at the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells repair minor injuries of the skin and replace dead skin cells. However, EpiSCs’ cannot heal severe wounds such as major burns or those from diabetes or hereditary disorders. In such cases, culturing the epidermal stem cells from the patient is possible and has yielded successful treatment options, such as laboratory-grown skin grafts. These grafts are synthesized using a patient’s own EpiSCs...

Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell

Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell

A hair follicle or HF is a small part of the skin that produces the hair shaft. Paul Gerson Unna was the first to observe a bulge in the human hair follicle's outer root sheath (ORS). The bulge is present between the sebaceous gland and the arrector pili muscle and is the niche for hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). The bulge is also a niche for melanocyte stem cells, and their loss results in graying of hair. The HFSCs express Sox9 and Lhx2, which help them maintain stemness and prevent...

Stem Cell Niche

Stem Cell Niche

The stem cell niche is the dynamic microenvironment where stem cells reside. Inside these niches, the cells may remain undifferentiated, undergo high self-renewal, or become lineage-specific progenitors. Stem cells coexist with other niche cells, such as stromal cells. They also interact closely with the ECM. Cell-cell and cell-matrix communication occur via adhesion molecules or soluble factors that signal the stem cells and determine their fate. Stromal cells also provide survival signals to...

Tissue Renewal without Stem Cells

Tissue Renewal without Stem Cells

After cellular or tissue damage, the resident stem cells present in the human body can locally repair and regenerate the damaged tissue or organ. However, even though some tissues do not have stem cells, they can repair and regenerate with the help of pre-existing cells. For example, beta cells of the pancreas and hepatocytes of the liver can divide to renew and regenerate the tissue. Here, both cell division and cell death are well regulated by homeostasis.
However, failure of such a system...

Adult Stem Cells

Adult Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce more stem cells or progenitor cells that differentiate into mature, specialized cell types. All the cells in the body are generated from stem cells in the early embryo, but small populations of stem cells are also present in many adult tissues including the bone marrow, brain, skin, and gut. These adult stem cells typically produce the various cell types found in that tissue—to replace cells that are damaged or to continuously renew...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Aneuploidy selects for the acquisition of driver genes in breast cancer.

Nature·2026

Same author

Brain endothelial cells orchestrate a neuroprotective antiviral state in the CNS in response to peripheral viral pattern sensing.

Immunity·2026

Same author

Distinctive DNA sequence features define epigenetic longevity of inflammatory memory.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same author

A 180 degree turn en route to crafting a scientific career that never goes stale.

Nature cancer·2026

Same author

Immune cells adapt to distinct stem cell niches to govern tissue homeostasis.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

A commensally regulated immune rheostat fine-tunes skin barrier fitness.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin

Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin

Published on: March 31, 2011

Skin stem cells: rising to the surface.

¹Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA. fuchslb@rockefeller.edu

The Journal of Cell Biology

|January 23, 2008

Summary

Skin stem cells maintain tissue homeostasis, regenerate hair, and repair the epidermis. Recent research reveals key properties of these remarkable cells residing in the hair follicle, sebaceous gland, and epidermis.

Area of Science:

Dermatology
Stem Cell Biology
Regenerative Medicine

Background:

The skin epidermis and its appendages form a crucial protective barrier against environmental insults.
Tissue homeostasis and wound repair are vital functions maintained by the skin.
Adult skin harbors stem cells within the hair follicle, sebaceous gland, and epidermis.

Purpose of the Study:

To outline the basic lineages of skin epithelia.
To review major recent findings on mammalian skin epithelial stem cells.
To elucidate the properties and functions of skin stem cells.

Main Methods:

Literature review of recent scientific findings.
Analysis of stem cell properties in skin homeostasis and repair.

More Related Videos

Isolating Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Epidermal Keratinocytes from Dorsal Mouse Skin

Isolating Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Epidermal Keratinocytes from Dorsal Mouse Skin

Published on: April 29, 2016

Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ

Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ

Published on: May 8, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin

Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin

Published on: March 31, 2011

Isolating Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Epidermal Keratinocytes from Dorsal Mouse Skin

Isolating Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Epidermal Keratinocytes from Dorsal Mouse Skin

Published on: April 29, 2016

Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ

Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ

Published on: May 8, 2020

Examination of epithelial lineages in mammalian skin.

Main Results:

Skin stem cells possess the capacity for self-renewal and differentiation.
These stem cells are essential for hair regeneration and epidermal repair.
Recent discoveries have shed light on the complex mechanisms of skin stem cell function.

Conclusions:

Skin stem cells are fundamental to maintaining skin integrity and function.
Understanding skin stem cells offers potential for regenerative therapies.
Continued research is crucial for fully unraveling the potential of these cells.