Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures
06:53

Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures

Published on: November 11, 2016

7.9K

Human epidermal stem cell function is regulated by circadian oscillations

Peggy Janich1, Kiana Toufighi, Guiomar Solanas

  • 1Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Cell Stem Cell
|October 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Human epidermal stem cells (hESCs) possess daily circadian rhythms that control their proliferation and differentiation. Disrupting these rhythms impairs hESC function, potentially contributing to skin aging and cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Chronobiology
  • Dermatology
  • Stem Cell Biology

Background:

  • Human skin faces daily environmental challenges, but the role of circadian rhythms in epidermal stem cell (hESC) function remains unclear.
  • Understanding circadian modulation of hESCs is crucial for addressing skin aging and carcinogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how circadian rhythms regulate the function of human epidermal stem cells.
  • To elucidate the temporal dynamics of core clock genes and their impact on hESC responses to external cues.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of core clock gene expression in hESCs and differentiated cells over a 24-hour period.
  • Assessment of transcriptomic changes associated with distinct temporal intervals.
  • Evaluation of the effects of circadian disruption on hESC function in vitro and in vivo.

Main Results:

  • Core clock genes exhibit successive, phased peaks in hESCs, creating distinct temporal windows.
  • These clock waves correlate with temporally segregated transcript expression, influencing hESC responsiveness to TGFβ and calcium.
  • Circadian arrhythmia significantly impairs hESC function both in culture and in vivo.

Conclusions:

  • Circadian rhythms provide hESCs with time-specific functional cues, maintaining skin homeostasis.
  • Perturbation of these circadian mechanisms in hESCs may contribute to aging and cancer development.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: In Vitro Investigations of Circadian Rhythms in Multicellular Systems05:44

Author Spotlight: In Vitro Investigations of Circadian Rhythms in Multicellular Systems

Published on: February 16, 2024

1.8K
Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin08:26

Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin

Published on: March 31, 2011

28.0K

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...
2.4K
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation02:19

Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent...
3.4K
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation02:19

Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

2.1K
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...
2.4K
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:01

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

All blood and immune cells are produced from the multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by the process of hematopoiesis. However, they all have a limited life span. In addition, many are depleted in immune surveillance or combatting an injury or infection. This makes blood one of the most regenerative tissues. Hematopoiesis helps replenish these blood and immune cells, restoring the body's normal functioning. However, overproduction of blood and immune cells can make them cancerous or...
3.5K
Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell01:06

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...
3.0K