Abstract
The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin and provides a protective barrier against environmental insults. It is a rapidly-renewing tissue undergoing constant regeneration, maintained by several types of stem cells. The Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway is one of the fundamental signaling pathways that contributes to epidermal development, homeostasis, and repair, as well as to hair follicle development and follicle bulge stem cell maintenance. The HH pathway interacts with other signal transduction pathways, including those activated by Wnt, bone morphogenetic protein, platelet-derived growth factor, Notch, and ectodysplasin. Furthermore, aberrant activation of HH signaling is associated with various tumors, including basal cell carcinoma. Therefore, an understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of the HH signaling pathway is important for elucidating fundamental mechanisms underlying both organogenesis and carcinogenesis. In this review, we discuss the role of the HH signaling pathway in the development and homeostasis epidermis and hair follicles, and in basal cell carcinoma formation, providing an update of current knowledge in this field.
Highlights
The thickness of the skin is as little as 2 mm on average, it is a complex stratified organ consisting of an outer epidermis and appendages separated from the underlying dermis by a basement membrane
The stem cells residing in the epidermis are maintained by various signaling pathways such as those activated by Wnt, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), Notch, and Hedgehog (HH) [3]
Various signaling pathways, such as those activated by Wnt, bone morphogenetic morphogenetic protein (BMP), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), Notch and ectodysplasin, are protein (BMP), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), Notch and ectodysplasin, are involved in hair involved in hair follicle development, and exhibit signaling crosstalk with the HH pathway
Summary
The thickness of the skin is as little as 2 mm on average, it is a complex stratified organ consisting of an outer epidermis and appendages (for example, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands) separated from the underlying dermis by a basement membrane It is the largest organ in the human body, by area and weight. The stem cells residing in the epidermis are maintained by various signaling pathways such as those activated by Wnt, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), Notch, and Hedgehog (HH) [3]. These signaling pathways have important roles in embryonic skin development [4]. We provide a current understanding of the role of the HH signaling pathway in embryonic skin development, skin homeostasis, and skin cancer
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