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Related Concept Videos

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells01:12

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 Cells01:19

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...
Cells of the Epidermis01:24

Cells of the Epidermis

The epidermis is made of four or five layers of epithelial cells, depending on its location in the body. From deep to superficial, these layers are the stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum, and stratum corneum.
The cells in all these layers except the stratum basale are called keratinocytes, a type of cell that manufactures and stores the protein keratin. The keratinocytes in the stratum corneum are dead and regularly slough away, being replaced by cells from...
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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 Niche01:26

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Layers of the Epidermis01:21

Layers of the Epidermis

The epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin, is composed of several distinct layers. From deep to superficial, the layers of the epidermis are as follows:
Stratum Basale
Stratum basale, also known as the stratum germinativum, is the deepest layer of the epidermis. It is composed of a single layer of actively dividing cells called basal cells or basal keratinocytes. These cells constantly undergo cell division to replenish the upper layers of the epidermis. Additionally, melanocytes, which...

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Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin
08:26

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Published on: March 31, 2011

Biochemistry of epidermal stem cells.

Richard L Eckert1, Gautam Adhikary, Sivaprakasam Balasubramanian

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA. reckert@umaryland.edu

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
|July 24, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Epidermal stem cells are crucial for skin barrier repair and regeneration. Research identifies multiple stem cell populations in the epidermis, vital for maintaining skin homeostasis and treating diseases.

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Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Stem Cell Biology
  • Tissue Homeostasis

Background:

  • The epidermis serves as a vital protective barrier, necessitating continuous cell proliferation and differentiation for its maintenance.
  • Epidermal stem cells are located in specific niches within the basal epidermis, hair follicle, and sebaceous glands, responsible for tissue replenishment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize current research on epidermal stem cells, their markers, niches, and relationships.
  • To understand the role of epidermal stem cells in normal skin homeostasis and their implications in skin cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Identification of protein epitopes that mark epidermal stem cells.
  • Mapping of stem cell niche locations within the epidermis.
  • Analysis of the relationships between different epidermal stem cell populations.

Main Results:

  • Various stem cell markers have been identified, enabling the assignment of stem cells to specific epidermal regions.
  • Multiple distinct stem cell populations exist in the epidermis, contributing to different structures.
  • These stem cell populations play a role in repairing damaged epidermis and maintaining tissue homeostasis.

Conclusions:

  • Significant progress has been made in understanding epidermal stem cell biology and their role in homeostasis and stress conditions.
  • The existence of multiple stem cell populations highlights their importance in tissue repair and regeneration.
  • Advances in epidermal stem cell research hold promise for developing novel therapies for skin diseases and cancer.