Identification of Stem Cell Populations in Sweat Glands and Ducts Reveals Roles in Homeostasis and Wound Repair

Sweat glands are abundant in the body and essential for thermoregulation. Like mammary glands, they originate from epidermal progenitors. However, they display few signs of cellular turnover, and whether they have stem cells and tissue-regenerative capacity remains largely unexplored. Using lineage...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cell 2012-07, Vol.150 (1), p.136-150
Main Authors: Lu, Catherine P., Polak, Lisa, Rocha, Ana Sofia, Pasolli, H. Amalia, Chen, Shann-Ching, Sharma, Neha, Blanpain, Cedric, Fuchs, Elaine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult Stem Cells - classification
Adult Stem Cells - cytology
Adult Stem Cells - physiology
adults
Animals
Epidermis - cytology
Epidermis - physiology
Female
Homeostasis
Humans
mammary glands
Mammary Glands, Animal - cytology
Mice
Morphogenesis
Multipotent Stem Cells - physiology
population
Principal Component Analysis
Stem Cell Transplantation
stem cells
sweat
sweat glands
Sweat Glands - cytology
Sweat Glands - embryology
Sweat Glands - physiology
thermoregulation
transcription (genetics)
Wound Healing
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Summary:Sweat glands are abundant in the body and essential for thermoregulation. Like mammary glands, they originate from epidermal progenitors. However, they display few signs of cellular turnover, and whether they have stem cells and tissue-regenerative capacity remains largely unexplored. Using lineage tracing, we here identify in sweat ducts multipotent progenitors that transition to unipotency after developing the sweat gland. In characterizing four adult stem cell populations of glandular skin, we show that they display distinct regenerative capabilities and remain unipotent when healing epidermal, myoepithelial-specific, and lumenal-specific injuries. We devise purification schemes and isolate and transcriptionally profile progenitors. Exploiting molecular differences between sweat and mammary glands, we show that only some progenitors regain multipotency to produce de novo ductal and glandular structures, but that these can retain their identity even within certain foreign microenvironments. Our findings provide insight into glandular stem cells and a framework for the further study of sweat gland biology. [Display omitted] ► Populations of unipotent stem cells maintain adult homeostasis in glabrous skin ► Depending on injury mode, each stem cell type responds differently but unipotently ► Sweat duct basal cells and gland myoepithelial cells are multipotent when engrafted ► Sweat and mammary gland stem cells differ in transcription and tissue regeneration Distinct stem cell populations in the sweat gland exhibit different regenerative potential and responses to injury. Progenitors produce de novo sweat glands when engrafted into the breast, revealing fundamental differences between the stem cells that give rise to the sweat and mammary glands and the responsiveness of glandular stem cells to their microenvironment.
ISSN:0092-8674
1097-4172
DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2012.04.045