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Updated: Aug 1, 2025

Isolating Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Epidermal Keratinocytes from Dorsal Mouse Skin
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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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Distinct types of stem cell divisions determine organ regeneration and aging in hair follicles

Hiroyuki Matsumura1, Nan Liu2, Daisuke Nanba2

  • 1Department of Stem Cell Biology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. matsscm@tmd.ac.jp.

Nature Aging
|April 28, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Aging causes hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) to adopt atypical cell divisions, leading to hair loss. Stabilizing a key protein, COL17A1, restored normal function and hair follicle regeneration.

Area of Science:

  • Stem cell biology
  • Dermatology
  • Aging research

Background:

  • Mammalian hair follicles miniaturize with age, causing hair thinning and loss.
  • Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are crucial for hair regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanisms behind HFSC regenerative decline during aging.
  • To identify molecular targets for restoring HFSC function.

Main Methods:

  • Cell fate tracing in aging mice.
  • Analysis of cell division patterns in HFSCs.
  • Investigating the roles of COL17A1 and aPKCλ.
  • Experimental stabilization of COL17A1.

Main Results:

  • Aging HFSCs adopt an atypical, stress-responsive asymmetric division program.
  • This atypical division destabilizes COL17A1 and aPKCλ, producing epidermal cells instead of regenerating the follicle.
  • HFSC detachment from the basal membrane leads to exhaustion and organ aging.
  • Stabilizing COL17A1 rescued hair follicle homeostasis via aPKCλ stabilization.

Conclusions:

  • Distinct stem cell division programs regulate tissue and organ aging.
  • COL17A1 stabilization is a potential therapeutic strategy for age-related hair loss.

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