Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells01:12

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

2.6K
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...
2.6K
Cells of the Epidermis01:24

Cells of the Epidermis

4.2K
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...
4.2K
Replicative Cell Senescence02:15

Replicative Cell Senescence

3.7K
Replicative cell senescence is a property of cells that allows them to divide a finite number of times throughout the organism's lifespan while preventing excessive proliferation. Replicative senescence is associated with the gradual loss of the telomere — short, repetitive DNA sequences found at the end of the chromosomes. Telomeres are bound by a group of proteins to form a protective cap on the ends of chromosomes. Embryonic stem cells express telomerase — an enzyme that adds...
3.7K
Accessory Structures of the Skin: Hair Growth and Types01:20

Accessory Structures of the Skin: Hair Growth and Types

1.5K
Hair growth begins with the production of keratinocytes by the basal cells of the hair bulb. As new cells are deposited at the hair bulb, the hair shaft is pushed through the follicle toward the surface. Keratinization is completed as the cells are pushed to the skin surface to form the shaft of hair that is externally visible. The external hair is completely dead and composed entirely of keratin. Hair can be cut or shaven without damaging the hair structure because the cut is superficial. Most...
1.5K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

31.8K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
31.8K
Maintenance of the ES Cell State01:14

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

2.2K
The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...
2.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Fluctuating DNA methylation sites encode colorectal tumour growth history.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Conception-calibrated male pediatric tumor mitotic clocks.

Communications biology·2026
Same author

Multifactorial sheltering in peristromal niches shapes in vivo responses of lung cancers to targeted therapies.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Evolutionary antifragile therapy is a treatment strategy to suppress drug resistance by exploiting dose response convexity.

Cancer research·2026
Same author

PHYFUM: Phylogenetic Reconstruction of Normal and Pre-malignant Tissue Evolution Using Fluctuating Methylation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Simulating Protein Dynamics in Cell Signaling Pathways: A Mathematical Model Approach Incorporating Negative Interaction Mechanisms.

Journal of computational biology : a journal of computational molecular cell biology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 31, 2025

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin
10:51

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin

Published on: July 14, 2017

31.4K

Homeostasis limits keratinocyte evolution.

Ryan O Schenck1,2, Eunjung Kim1, Rafael R Bravo1

  • 1Integrated Mathematical Oncology Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 23, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Human skin accumulates somatic mutations, with driver mutations suggesting selection. A simple skin-cell model explains how passenger and driver mutations arise during normal tissue turnover while maintaining homeostasis.

Keywords:
carcinogenesiskeratinocyte biologymathematical modelingsomatic evolution

More Related Videos

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin
10:42

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin

Published on: December 22, 2017

16.6K
Establishing a High Throughput Epidermal Spheroid Culture System to Model Keratinocyte Stem Cell Plasticity
10:03

Establishing a High Throughput Epidermal Spheroid Culture System to Model Keratinocyte Stem Cell Plasticity

Published on: January 30, 2021

3.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 31, 2025

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin
10:51

Isolation and Culture of Primary Mouse Keratinocytes from Neonatal and Adult Mouse Skin

Published on: July 14, 2017

31.4K
Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin
10:42

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin

Published on: December 22, 2017

16.6K
Establishing a High Throughput Epidermal Spheroid Culture System to Model Keratinocyte Stem Cell Plasticity
10:03

Establishing a High Throughput Epidermal Spheroid Culture System to Model Keratinocyte Stem Cell Plasticity

Published on: January 30, 2021

3.9K

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Cell Biology
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • Human tissues, particularly skin, accumulate numerous somatic mutations.
  • These mutations form distinct subclones, with driver mutations often associated with larger sizes, implying selective pressures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a computational model explaining the accumulation of somatic mutations in normal human tissues.
  • To understand how tissue homeostasis is maintained despite the presence of somatic mutations.

Main Methods:

  • An agent-based model simulating skin-cell turnover and stem cell survival was developed.
  • The model incorporated principles of random stem-cell survival and proximity to the basement membrane.

Main Results:

  • The model successfully recapitulated the observed log-linear distribution of somatic mutations.
  • It demonstrated how neutral (passenger) mutations are lost with time, while earlier acquired mutations can form larger subclones.
  • The model showed that specific driver mutations (NOTCH1, TP53) can increase subclone persistence, maintaining homeostasis.

Conclusions:

  • A simple model of epithelial turnover can explain the accumulation of passenger and driver somatic mutations.
  • Homeostasis in normal human tissues can be maintained even with significant somatic mutation burdens.
  • The model provides insights into the evolutionary dynamics of somatic mutations in healthy tissues.