Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
08:26
Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin
Published on: March 31, 2011
[Melanocyte stem cells in adults]
Geneviève Aubin-Houzelstein1, Johanna Djian-Zaouche, Jean-Jacques Panthier
1Unité de Génétique fonctionnelle de la Souris, URA CNRS 2578, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris cedex, France. ghouzelstein@vet-alfort.fr
Journal De La Societe De Biologie
|May 8, 2008
Summary
Melanocyte stem cells in hair follicles control hair color and aging. Their depletion causes hair greying, and they may drive melanoma growth, offering new research avenues.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Dermatology
- Genetics
Context:
- Melanocyte stem cells (MSCs) are crucial for hair pigmentation.
- Recent research has localized MSCs to the hair follicle's outer root sheath in mice.
- MSC depletion is linked to age-related hair greying in mice and humans.
Purpose:
- To review recent findings on MSCs.
- To explore the role of MSCs in hair greying and melanoma.
- To identify key unanswered questions in MSC research.
Summary:
- MSCs reside in the hair follicle's outer root sheath and are vital for hair pigmentation.
- The depletion of MSCs leads to hair greying, a process accelerated by specific mutations.
- MSCs are implicated in the development of malignant melanomas.
Impact:
- Understanding MSCs can shed light on the mechanisms of hair aging.
- This research may reveal new therapeutic targets for melanoma.
- Identifying genes and pathways controlling MSCs offers insights into stem cell biology.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Distinctive Features of Adult Stem Cells vs Cancer Stem Cells
A stem cell is an unspecialized cell that can divide without limit as needed and can, under specific conditions, differentiate into specialized cells.
Adult stem cells
Adult stem cells are tissue-specific; hence, they divide to develop the tissue from which they originate. One type of adult stem cell is the epithelial stem cell, which gives rise to the keratinocytes in the multiple layers of epithelial cells in the epidermis of the skin. Adult bone marrow has three distinct types of stem cells:...
Adult stem cells
Adult stem cells are tissue-specific; hence, they divide to develop the tissue from which they originate. One type of adult stem cell is the epithelial stem cell, which gives rise to the keratinocytes in the multiple layers of epithelial cells in the epidermis of the skin. Adult bone marrow has three distinct types of stem cells:...
01:33Adult 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...
01:06Multipotency 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...
01:26Stem 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...
01:12Renewal 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,...
01:19Pigmentation
The color of the skin is influenced by a number of pigments, including melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. Recall that melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes, which are found scattered throughout the stratum basale of the epidermis. The melanin is transferred to the keratinocytes via melanosomes.
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...