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Review
. 2024 Dec;47(12):100138.
doi: 10.1016/j.mocell.2024.100138. Epub 2024 Oct 21.

Epidermal stem cells: Interplay with the skin microenvironment during wound healing

Yun Ha Hur  1
Affiliations
Review

Epidermal stem cells: Interplay with the skin microenvironment during wound healing

Yun Ha Hur. Mol Cells. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Skin undergoes everyday turnover while often challenged by injuries. The wound healing process in the skin is a dynamic sequence of events that involves various cell types and signaling pathways. Epidermal stem cells (EpdSCs), the tissue-resident stem cells in the skin tissue, are at the center of this complicated process due to their special ability to self-renew and differentiate. During this process, EpdSCs interact actively with the tissue microenvironment, which is essential for proper re-epithelialization and skin barrier restoration. This review describes the intricate interplays between EpdSCs and various components of their surroundings, including extracellular matrix/fibroblasts, vasculature/endothelial cells, and immune cells, as well as their roles in tissue repair.

Keywords: Epidermal stem cells; Re-epithelialization; Tissue microenvironment; Tissue repair; Wound healing.

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Conflict of interest statement

DECLARATION OF COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
How ECM/fibroblasts interact with EpdSCs during wound healing. (A) Attachment of EpdSCs to the basement membrane via hemidesmosomes helps maintain these cells in an undifferentiated state. (B) Example of the reciprocal interactions between EpdSCs and fibroblasts that promote the wound healing process. KGF, keratinocyte growth factor.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Diverse examples of reciprocal interactions between vasculature and EpdSCs during wound healing. In addition to exchanging oxygen and nutrients, EpdSCs and the neighboring vasculature interact actively with each other via various cytokines to mediate angiogenesis and immune cell recruitment.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Immune cell interactions with EpdSCs during wound healing. During different phases of the wound healing process, a distinct set of immune cells sends signals to EpdSCs to ensure proper tissue repair.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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