Abstract
The skin contains various populaions of stem cells, but its characterization has been hampered by lack of markers and unclear location. The hair follicle has a niche for stem cells called a “bulge” which acts as a reservoir of multipotent stem cells. In the study reported here, an immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analysis was performed on mouse and human tissues in order to determine the possible presence of stem cells of hair follicle through cytokeratin 15 (CK15), CD34, and CD200 markers identified as crucial to the stem cells and to identify the bulge region. Mouse (n = 7) and human (n = 7) skin samples were used. The expression of proteins was determined by the indirect immunoperoxidase technique and a secondary antibody bound to a fluorochrome. The specificity of staining was evaluated by negative controls. The results revealed that the stem cells associated with CD34 and CD200 antibodies were differentially expressed in the interfollicular epidermis, sebaceous glands, and bulge region, indicating that, in mice, CD34 and, in humans, CD200 are more specific than CK15 in detecting bulge cells. It also suggests that CD34 is specific for mouse bulge cells, while CD200 might have specificity for progenitor cells and partially differentiated cells in humans.
Highlights
In the study reported here, an immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analysis was performed on mouse and human tissues in order to determine the possible presence of stem cells of hair follicle through cytokeratin 15 (CK15), Cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34), and CD200 markers identified as crucial to the stem cells and to identify the bulge region
The results revealed that the stem cells associated with CD34 and CD200 antibodies were differentially expressed in the interfollicular epidermis, sebaceous glands, and bulge region, indicating that, in mice, CD34 and, in humans, CD200 are more specific than CK15 in detecting bulge cells
In histological sections of mouse and human skin, the structure and organization of hair follicle (HF) were evident, and we were able to distinguish the location of the bulge region (Figure 1)
Summary
The adult HF consists of an upper portion that is permanent and a lower portion that constantly remodels during the hair’s cycle of: growth (anagen), degeneration (catagen), and rest (telogen), and the cyclical nature of hair growth is thought to be dependent on HF stem cells [4] [5]. They are located in specific regions of tissue called “niches” and remain in a state of quiescence, to be activated by disease or alterations of physiological processes caused by tissue injury. Stem cells located in the HF bulge area give rise to the follicle structures during each anagen phase [9]
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