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Updated: Mar 2, 2026
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Isolating Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Epidermal Keratinocytes from Dorsal Mouse Skin
Published on: April 29, 2016
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Isolation of Stem Cells and Progenitors from Mouse Epidermis
Lana Kostic1, Egor Sedov1, Despina Soteriou1
1Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biology and Lokey Interdisciplinary Center for Life Sciences and Engineering, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology
|May 17, 2017
Summary
Researchers developed a new method using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to isolate hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) and epidermal progenitors from mouse skin for further study.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- The epidermis comprises distinct compartments: interfollicular epidermis (IFE), sebaceous glands (SGs), and hair follicles (HF).
- While IFE and SGs undergo continuous self-renewal, HFs exhibit cyclical growth, destruction, and rest phases.
- Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) reside in the bulge niche and express markers like CD34 and Keratin 15 (K15).
Purpose of the Study:
- To present an effective method for isolating HFSCs and epidermal progenitors.
- To enable further research into the function of these unique stem cell populations.
- To facilitate the use of isolated cells in in vivo and in vitro models.
Main Methods:
- Utilized fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for cell isolation.
- Targeted specific markers (CD34, K15) for HFSC identification.
- Employed mouse skin as the source material.
Main Results:
- Successfully isolated HFSCs and epidermal progenitors from mouse skin.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of expanding these isolated cells.
- Established a method applicable to various research models.
Conclusions:
- The described FACS method is a powerful tool for isolating HFSCs and epidermal progenitors.
- This technique facilitates the study of stem cell function in skin regeneration and cycling.
- The isolated and expanded cells can be used in diverse experimental settings.
