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Updated: Dec 14, 2025
06:51
Isolating Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Epidermal Keratinocytes from Dorsal Mouse Skin
Published on: April 29, 2016
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Cell Types Promoting Goosebumps Form a Niche to Regulate Hair Follicle Stem Cells.
Yulia Shwartz1, Meryem Gonzalez-Celeiro2, Chih-Lung Chen3
1Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Cell
|July 18, 2020
Summary
Sympathetic nerves and arrector pili muscles form a niche regulating hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). Norepinephrine signaling controls HFSC activity, crucial for hair follicle regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Stem cell biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Piloerection involves hair follicles, arrector pili muscles (APMs), and sympathetic nerves.
- This system serves as a model for studying epithelial, mesenchymal, and neural interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the APM-sympathetic nerve complex in modulating hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) activity.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which sympathetic nerves and APMs interact to regulate HFSC behavior and hair follicle regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the structural and functional interactions between sympathetic nerves and HFSCs.
- Analyzed the effects of norepinephrine signaling on HFSC quiescence and proliferation.
- Examined the role of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) in the development of the APM-sympathetic nerve niche.
Main Results:
- Sympathetic nerves form synapse-like connections with HFSCs, regulating them via norepinephrine.
- APMs are essential for maintaining sympathetic innervation to HFSCs.
- Absence of norepinephrine signaling induces deep quiescence in HFSCs, involving Foxp1 and Fgf18.
- HFSC-derived SHH orchestrates the formation of the APM-sympathetic nerve niche during development.
- This niche controls adult hair follicle regeneration.
Conclusions:
- The APM and sympathetic nerve constitute a dual niche that modulates HFSC activity.
- Sympathetic nerves regulate stem cells through neurotransmitters and synapse-like connections.
- A reciprocal relationship exists between the hair follicle niche and stem cells across different life stages, linking tissue production to physiological demands.
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