Abstract
Inconsistent with the view that hair follicle stem cells reside in the matrix area of the hair bulb, we found that label-retaining cells exist exclusively in the bulge area of the mouse hair follicle. The bulge consists of a subpopulation of outer root sheath cells located in the midportion of the tollicle at the arrector pili muscle attachment site. Keratinocytes in the bulge area are relatively undifferentiated ultrastructurally. They are normally slow cycling, but can be stimulated to proliferate transiently by TPA. Located in a well-protected and nourished environment, these cells mark the lower end of the "permanent" portion of the follicle. Our findings, plus a reevaluation of the literature, suggest that follicular stem cells reside in the bulge region, instead of the lower bulb. This new view provides insights into hair cycle control and the possible involvement of hair follicle stem cells in skin carcinogenesis.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1329-1337 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Cell |
| Volume | 61 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 29 1990 |
Funding
We dedicate this paper to Howard Green and A. Gedeon Matoltsy, two pioneers and teachers in cutaneous biology, who taught us where to look and how to see. The authors would like to thank Dora Dogadkina for excellent technical assistance. This work was supported by NIH grants AR39674 and EY06769 (R. M. L.) and AR34511, AR39749, and EY4722 (T.-T S.). T.-T S. was the recipient of a Monique Weill-Caulier career scientist award.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology