Premium
Lineage of anuran epidermal basal cells and their differentiation potential in relation to metamorphic skin remodeling
Author(s) -
Suzuki Kenichi,
Utoh Rie,
Kotani Kaori,
Obara Masanobu,
Yoshizato Katsutoshi
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-169x.2002.00637.x
Subject(s) - biology , epidermis (zoology) , keratin , microbiology and biotechnology , basal (medicine) , stem cell , progenitor cell , keratin 5 , cellular differentiation , anatomy , endocrinology , genetics , gene , insulin
The anuran remodels the larval epidermis into the adult one during metamorphosis. Larval and adult epidermal cells of the bullfrog were characterized by determining the presence of huge cytoplasmic keratin bundles and the expression profiles of specific marker genes, namely colα1 (collagen α1 (I)), rlk (larval keratin) and rak (adult keratin). We identified four types of epidermal basal cells: (i) basal skein cells that have keratin bundles and express colα1 and rlk ; (ii) rak + ‐basal skein cells that have keratin bundles and express colα1 , rlk , and rak ; (iii) larval basal cells that express rlk and rak ; and (iv) adult basal cells that express rak . These traits suggested that these basal cells are on the same lineage in which basal skein cells are the original progenitor cells that consecutively differentiate into rak + ‐basal skein cells into larval basal cells, and finally into adult basal cells. To directly verify the differentiation potential of larval basal cells into adult ones, the mono‐layered epidermis composed of larval basal cells was cultured in the presence of aldosterone and thyroid hormone. In this culture, larval basal cells differentiated into adult basal cells that reconstituted the adult epidermis. Thus, it was concluded that larval basal cells are the direct progenitor cells of the adult epidermal stem cells.