Wu Wang, Yang Jing, Tao Hongjun, Lei Mingxing
111 Project Laboratory of Biomechanics and Tissue Repair, Department of Bioengineering, College of Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Department of Bioengineering, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Department of Bioengineering, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
Stem Cells Dev. 2022 Mar;31(5-6):91-96. doi: 10.1089/scd.2022.29011.wwu.
Skin bears essential appendages and diverse cell types that function importantly in protection, thermoregulation, mechanosensation, piloerection, and social communication. The hair follicle is a tiny skin appendage with intricate structure and has versatile functions in mammals. Hair follicles evolve stem cells that regenerate cyclically to produce hairs and to accommodate the rapidly changing environment. Sharing the same bulge niche with hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs), melanocyte stem cells (McSCs) undergo cyclic activation in synchrony with HFSCs, to pigment the hairs, which can protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation. Disorders of HFSCs or McSCs result in skin diseases such as hair loss, canities, vitiligo, and even melanoma, compromising senses of well-being and posing psychosocial distress to the affected individuals. The activation or quiescence of these stem cells is not only regulated by intrinsic factors within the follicle, but is also largely influenced by the extrinsic environmental factors, including the neighboring cells, systemic factors, and the external environment. Although great progress has been made to elucidate the intrinsic regulation of HFSCs or McSCs, understanding the environmental modulation of these stem cells can provide novel insight for the development of new therapeutic strategies for treating alopecia and skin pigmentation-related disorders.
皮肤带有重要的附属器和多种细胞类型，它们在保护、体温调节、机械感觉、立毛和社交沟通中发挥着重要作用。毛囊是一种结构复杂的微小皮肤附属器，在哺乳动物中具有多种功能。毛囊进化出干细胞，这些干细胞周期性地再生以产生毛发，并适应快速变化的环境。黑素细胞干细胞（McSCs）与毛囊干细胞（HFSCs）共享同一个隆突生态位，与HFSCs同步进行周期性激活，为毛发着色，从而保护皮肤免受紫外线辐射。HFSCs或McSCs的紊乱会导致脱发、白发、白癜风甚至黑色素瘤等皮肤病，损害幸福感，并给受影响的个体带来心理社会困扰。这些干细胞的激活或静止不仅受毛囊内固有因素的调节，还在很大程度上受外在环境因素的影响，包括邻近细胞、全身因素和外部环境。尽管在阐明HFSCs或McSCs的内在调节方面已经取得了很大进展，但了解这些干细胞的环境调节可为开发治疗脱发和皮肤色素沉着相关疾病的新治疗策略提供新的见解。
