Reversibly immortalization establishes a hair follicle stem cell line with hair follicle reconstruction ability.

Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) play critical roles in the periodic regeneration of hair follicles. HFSCs are also a good model for stem cell biology research. However, no stable mouse HFSC cell line has been reported, which restricts the research and application of HFSCs.

Wnt4 increases the thickness of the epidermis in burn wounds by activating canonical Wnt signalling and decreasing the cell junctions between epidermal cells.

Background: Burn wound healing is a complex process and the role of Wnt ligands varies in this process. Whether and how Wnt4 functions in burn wound healing is not well understood. In this study, we aim to reveal the effects and potential mechanisms of Wnt4 in burn wound healing.

Correction to: The balance of Bmp6 and Wnt10b regulates the telogen-anagen transition of hair follicles.

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported that they would like to correct the second last sentence of "Authors' information" section as PW is an undergraduate, but was incorrectly described as a Ph.D. in the sentence.

The balance of Bmp6 and Wnt10b regulates the telogen-anagen transition of hair follicles.

Background: The periodic growth of hair follicles is regulated by the balance of activators and inhibitors. The BMP signaling pathway plays an important role during hair follicle regeneration, but the exact BMP protein that controls this process has not been revealed.

Methods: The expression of BMP6 was determined via in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence.

Secreted Frizzled-related protein 4 inhibits the regeneration of hair follicles.

Secreted Frizzled-related Protein 4 (sFRP4) belongs to Wnt inhibitors. Previously, we reported that sFRP4 inhibited the differentiation of melanocyte. Here, by using of immunostaining, we showed that sFRP4 is expressed in both human and mouse hair follicles, especially in the outer root sheath and inner root sheath.

Identification and Characterization of Hair Follicle Stem Cells.

Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are epithelial cells that inhabit in the bulge region of hair follicles. They govern development of hair follicle as well as periodically regeneration of hair follicle. Under special condition, they also play roles in homeostasis of skin and other skin appendages.

Establishment of an immortalized mouse dermal papilla cell strain with optimized culture strategy.

Dermal papilla (DP) plays important roles in hair follicle regeneration. Long-term culture of mouse DP cells can provide enough cells for research and application of DP cells. We optimized the culture strategy for DP cells from three dimensions: stepwise dissection, collagen I coating, and optimized culture medium.

Gsdma3 regulates hair follicle differentiation via Wnt5a-mediated non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway.

Hair follicle is a mini-organ that consists of complex but well-organized structures, which are differentiated from hair follicle progenitor or stem cells. How non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway is involved in regulating hair follicle differentiation remains elusive. Here we showed that regulates hair follicle differentiation through an epithelial-mesenchymal interaction mechanism in mice.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes aging-associated hair graying in mice.

Canities is an obvious sign of aging in mouse and human, shown as hair graying. Melanocytes in the hair follicle show cyclic activity with hair cycling, which transitions from anagen, catagen to telogen. How the hairs turn gray during aging is not completely uncovered.

Paracrine Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 4 Inhibits Melanocytes Differentiation in Hair Follicle.

Wnt signaling plays crucial role in regulating melanocyte stem cells/melanocyte differentiation in the hair follicle. However, how the Wnt signaling is balanced to be overactivated to control follicular melanocytes behavior remains unknown. Here, by using immunofluorescence staining, we showed that secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP4) is preferentially expressed in the skin epidermal cells rather than in melanocytes.

Gsdma3 is required for mammary gland development in mice.

AE (alopecia and excoriation) is a mouse mutant phenotype that harbours a mutation in Gsdma3. Gsdma3 has been reported to regulate the development of skin and hair follicles. However, its role in the mammary glands has not been reported.

Immunohistochemical study of hair follicle stem cells in regenerated hair follicles induced by Wnt10b.

The regulation of the periodic regeneration of hair follicles is complicated. Although Wnt10b has been reported to induce hair follicle regeneration, the characteristics of induced hair follicles, especially the target cells of Wnt10b, have not yet been clearly elucidated. Thus, we systematically evaluated the expression and proliferation patterns of Wnt10b-induced hair follicles.

Wnt5a Suppresses β-catenin Signaling during Hair Follicle Regeneration.

Hair follicles display periodic growth. Wnt signaling is a critical regulator for hair follicle regeneration. Previously, we reported that Wnt5a inhibits the telogen-to-anagen transition of hair follicles, but the mechanism by which this process occurs has not yet been reported.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activates melanocyte stem cells in vitro and in vivo.

Background: Melanocyte stem cells (McSCs) are the origin of melanocytes that are periodically refreshed in skin and hair follicle. Previously, we reported that Wnt3a could promote melanogenesis, but the mechanism of McSCs activation remains unclear.

Objective: We aimed to illustrate the roles of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway during McSC activation.

Adenovirus-mediated Wnt5a expression inhibits the telogen-to-anagen transition of hair follicles in mice.

The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays an important role in hair cycle induction. Wnt5a is a non-canonical Wnt family member that generally antagonizes canonical Wnt signaling in other systems. In hair follicles, Wnt5a and canonical Wnt are both expressed in cells in the telogen stage.

Wnt10b promotes differentiation of mouse hair follicle melanocytes.

Previous research has revealed that Wnt10b activates canonical Wnt signaling, which is integral to melanocyte differentiation in hair follicles (HFs). However, the function of Wnt10b in HF melanocytes remains poorly understood. We determined using Dct-LacZ transgenic mice that Wnt10b is mainly expressed near and within melanocytes of the hair bulbs during the anagen stage of the hair cycle.

Adenovirus-mediated Wnt10b overexpression induces hair follicle regeneration.

Hair follicles periodically undergo regeneration. The balance between activators and inhibitors may determine the time required for telogen hair follicles to reenter anagen. We previously reported that Wnt10b (wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family member 10b) could promote the growth of hair follicles in vitro.

Wnt3a inhibits proliferation but promotes melanogenesis of melan-a cells.

Melanocytes are pigment-producing cells responsible for coloration of skin and hair. Although the importance of Wnt3a in melanocyte development has been well recognized, the role of Wnt3a in mature melanocytes has not been elucidated. This study was conducted to further explore the effects of Wnt3a on melanocyte proliferation and melanogenesis, and to elucidate the possible mechanisms involved.

Wnt3a promotes melanin synthesis of mouse hair follicle melanocytes.

Although the importance of Wnt3a in melanocyte development has been well recognized, the effect of Wnt3a in normal HF melanocytes has not been clearly elucidated yet. Thus, we sought to examine the presence and location of Wnt3a in HF during hair cycle. By using melanocyte-targeted Dct-LacZ transgenic mice, we found that Wnt3a signaling is activated in mouse HF melanocytes during anagen of hair cycle.

Immunolocalization of Wnt5a during the hair cycle and its role in hair shaft growth in mice.

Previous studies have shown that the Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in the growth and development of hair follicles. It has been generally accepted that Wnt5a, a non-canonical Wnt gene, inhibits the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Several reports have addressed its mRNA expression in embryonic and postnatal hair follicles, but its exact role in the growth of hair follicles is currently unknown.

The construction of siRNA plasmid targeting mouse HIF-1alpha and in vitro study of its inhibition effect.

Objective: To construct effective RNA-interference plasmids targeting mouse HIF-1alpha gene and testify their effects and specificities in interfering HIF-1alpha expression.

Methods: Three RNA-interference plasmids targeting mouse HIF-1alpha gene, pBS/U6/HIF-1alpha-siRNAI~III, were constructed and identified using double digestion method in the present study. RT-PCR, immunostaining and western blotting were employed to detect the expression alterations of HIF-1alpha in 293T cells following transfections of the three plasmids, respectively.