Publications by authors named "Leslie Ponce"
Article Synopsis
- - The study reveals that epidermal Merkel cells (MCs), traditionally known for detecting light touch, also possess thermo-sensitivity and functional olfactory receptors that suggest a broader role in skin function.
- - Stimulation of the specific olfactory receptor OR2AT4 enhances vesicle trafficking in MCs and affects neurotrophin release, indicating these cells may respond to chemical stimuli in addition to mechanical ones.
- - The findings propose that the chemosensory functions of MCs could be linked to skin disorders, opening avenues for potential therapies focusing on maintaining skin health by targeting these newly discovered mechanisms.
Olfactory receptors are expressed by different cell types throughout the body and regulate physiological cell functions beyond olfaction. In particular, the olfactory receptor OR2AT4 has been shown to stimulate keratinocyte proliferation in the skin. Here, we show that the epithelium of human hair follicles, particularly the outer root sheath, expresses OR2AT4, and that specific stimulation of OR2AT4 by a synthetic sandalwood odorant (Sandalore) prolongs human hair growth ex vivo by decreasing apoptosis and increasing production of the anagen-prolonging growth factor IGF-1.
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