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Homeostatic Epidermal Stem Cell Self-Renewal Is Driven by Local Differentiation
Kailin R Mesa1, Kyogo Kawaguchi2, Katie Cockburn1
1Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Cell Stem Cell
|October 2, 2018
Summary
Epidermal stem cell self-renewal is coordinated with differentiation, not a constant driver of tissue maintenance. Neighboring stem cell division follows differentiation, responding to tissue demand.
Area of Science:
- Stem cell biology
- Tissue homeostasis
- Dermatology
Background:
- Adult tissue maintenance relies on resident stem cells.
- Mechanisms regulating stem cell self-renewal during homeostasis are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the regulation of epidermal stem cell self-renewal in living mice.
- To determine the relationship between stem cell self-renewal and epidermal differentiation.
Main Methods:
- In vivo imaging and tracking of epidermal stem cell activity in mice.
- Analysis of stem cell division and differentiation dynamics.
Main Results:
- Stem cell self-renewal is locally coordinated with epidermal differentiation, with a 1-2 day lag.
- Differentiation of a stem cell is followed by division of a neighboring stem cell, but not vice versa.
- Exit from the stem cell compartment can induce self-renewal in neighboring stem cells.
Conclusions:
- Epidermal stem cell self-renewal is not the primary driver of homeostasis.
- Self-renewal is precisely regulated by tissue demand and responds to neighbor cell differentiation.
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