The use of ectopic volar fibroblasts to modify skin identity.

Skin identity is controlled by intrinsic features of the epidermis and dermis and their interactions. Modifying skin identity has clinical potential, such as the conversion of residual limb and stump (nonvolar) skin of amputees to pressure-responsive palmoplantar (volar) skin to enhance prosthesis use and minimize skin breakdown. Greater keratin 9 () expression, higher epidermal thickness, keratinocyte cytoplasmic size, collagen length, and elastin are markers of volar skin and likely contribute to volar skin resiliency.

Dual-mode colorimetric/fluorescent chemosensor for Cu/Zn and fingerprint imaging based on rhodamine ethylenediamine bis(triazolyl silsesquioxane).

A novel dual functional and visual rhodamine ethylenediamine bis(triazolyl silsesquioxane) (RBS) chemosensor was successfully synthesized using "click" chemistry. The results have unambiguously demonstrated that RBS can act in fluorescent and colorimetric sensing of Cu and Zn by their respective coordination with triazole structures and, more importantly, it has also been found that triazole-amide of RBS could turn on chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) of Cu. Remarkably, the addition of Cu triggered an enhanced fluorescent emission by 63.

Commensal microbiome promotes hair follicle regeneration by inducing keratinocyte HIF-1α signaling and glutamine metabolism.

Tissue injury induces metabolic changes in stem cells, which likely modulate regeneration. Using a model of organ regeneration called wound-induced hair follicle neogenesis (WIHN), we identified skin-resident bacteria as key modulators of keratinocyte metabolism, demonstrating a positive correlation between bacterial load, glutamine metabolism, and regeneration. Specifically, through comprehensive multiomic analysis and single-cell RNA sequencing in murine skin, we show that bacterially induced hypoxia drives increased glutamine metabolism in keratinocytes with attendant enhancement of skin and hair follicle regeneration.

Bacteria induce skin regeneration via IL-1β signaling.

Environmental factors that enhance regeneration are largely unknown. The immune system and microbiome are attributed roles in repairing and regenerating structure but their precise interplay is unclear. Here, we assessed the function of skin bacteria in wound healing and wound-induced hair follicle neogenesis (WIHN), a rare adult organogenesis model.

Glucokinase intrinsically regulates glucose sensing and glucagon secretion in pancreatic alpha cells.

The secretion of glucagon by pancreatic alpha cells is regulated by a number of external and intrinsic factors. While the electrophysiological processes linking a lowering of glucose concentrations to an increased glucagon release are well characterized, the evidence for the identity and function of the glucose sensor is still incomplete. In the present study we aimed to address two unsolved problems: (1) do individual alpha cells have the intrinsic capability to regulate glucagon secretion by glucose, and (2) is glucokinase the alpha cell glucose sensor in this scenario.