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Evidence from the stop‐EGFP mouse supports a niche‐sharing model of epidermal proliferative units
Author(s) -
Ro Simon,
Rannala Bruce
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0625.2005.00366.x
Subject(s) - biology , stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , green fluorescent protein , compartment (ship) , corneocyte , clone (java method) , genetics , gene , oceanography , stratum corneum , geology
The classical model of epidermal proliferative units (EPUs) postulates that each EPU is composed of a single column of corneocytes plus epidermal cells directly below the column and is maintained by a single stem cell within the unit. Using the stop‐enhanced green fluorescent protein (stop‐EGFP) transgenic mouse system, we previously showed epidermal stem cell clonal lineages could produce multiple adjacent corneocytes (i.e. epidermal cells belonging to multiple adjacent EPUs), contradicting the classical EPU model. One possible problem with our earlier study was that N ‐ethyl‐ N ‐nitrosourea (ENU) was used to generate mutations for clonal analysis. This could alter the normal environment of the epidermal tissue and might lead to an artificial expansion of stem cell clonal lineages. In this study, we replicate our earlier findings using untreated stop‐EGFP mice and relying on spontaneous mutations to generate clonal cell lineages. We propose an alternative to the classical EPU model to explain the dynamic nature of epidermal proliferation. Our niche‐sharing model of EPUs allows epidermal cells to horizontally migrate among EPUs, so that multiple stem cells cooperatively maintain a larger proliferative compartment.