Stem cells for skin healing and hair growth
The skin, whose cells are continuously renewed, is known for its ability to regenerate. This ability has long attracted the attention of researchers interested in the mechanisms of healing processes.
Scientists at the University of Toronto and SickKids Children's Hospital (Canada, Ontario), working under the guidance of Professor Freda Miller, have moved a step closer to understanding the regenerative ability of the skin. For the first time, they identified stem cells localized in the dermis, the main layer of the skin located under a thin layer of the epidermis. The results of their work are published in the December issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell in the article "SKPs Derive from Hair Follicle Precursors and Exhibit Properties of Adult Dermal Stem Cells".
The authors found that the so-called skin progenitor cells are essentially stem cells, that is, they have the ability to transform into cells of different types. According to the results of the study, these cells are able to restore the dermis and are involved in the healing process of wounds.
According to Professor Miller, the fact that the skin progenitor cells turned out to be endogenous dermal stem cells is not surprising, since the dermis includes many different components consisting of cells of different types, including blood vessels, fat cells and nerves.
Experiments have shown that the studied cells not only support the viability of the skin and heal wounds, but also ensure the growth of hair follicles. Miller explains that they act as "conductors", telling the cells of the epidermis where to form a hair follicle.
The authors hope that the results they have obtained will open up new prospects for the currently actively developing field of cell therapy, and in particular for the use of the patient's own stem cells in the treatment of various diseases.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of Toronto: U of T-led team identifies new stem cell.
11.12.2009