Basal Cells in the Epidermis and Epidermal Differentiation

Raghvendra Singh

doi:10.1007/s12015-021-10256-1

Abstract

A definite identification of epidermal stem cells is not known and the mechanism of epidermal differentiation is not fully understood. Toward both of these quests, considerable information is available from the research on lineage tracing and clonal growth analysis in the basal layer of the epidermis, on the hair follicle and theinterfollicular epidermal stem cells, and on Wnt signaling along with its role inthe developmental patterning and cell differentiation. In this paper, literature on the aforementioned research has been collated and analyzed. In addition, models of thebasal layer cellular composition and theepidermal differentiation have been presented. Graphical Abstract.

Highlights

Epidermis self-renews and maintains homeostasis autonomously without influx of hair follicle (HF) cells[1]
The study acknowledges a caveat that a small population of quiescent stem cells, which may be very active in wound healing, would be undetectable in it[8]
Since the above model is not applicable to wound healing and wound healing requires interaction between the interfollicular epidermis (IFE) and HF, the one progenitor cell compartment model may not be the complete model of the epidermis

Summary

Introduction

Epidermis self-renews and maintains homeostasis autonomously without influx of hair follicle (HF) cells[1]. Toward both of these quests, considerable information is available from the research on lineage tracing and clonal growth analysis in the basal layer of the epidermis, on the hair follicle and interfollicular epidermal stem cells, and on Wnt signaling along with its role in developmental patterning and cell differentiation. To understand the complete model of the epidermis, here, I put together the details available on stem cells, which can generate IFE and HF as well as on the role of Wnt signaling in proliferation, differentiation, and patterning.

Results

Conclusion