Lhx2 maintains stem cell character in hair follicles.
During embryogenesis, stem cells are set aside to fuel the postnatal hair cycle and repair the epidermis after injury. To define how hair follicle stem cells are specified and maintained in an undifferentiated state, we developed a strategy to isolate and transcriptionally profile embryonic hair progenitors in mice. We identified Lhx2 as a transcription factor positioned downstream of signals necessary to specify hair follicle stem cells, but upstream from signals required to drive activated stem cells to terminally differentiate. Using gain- and loss-of-function studies, we uncovered a role for Lhx2 in maintaining the growth and undifferentiated properties of hair follicle progenitors.
Rhee
Horace
H
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021.
Polak
Lisa
L
Fuchs
Elaine
E
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006197:Hair / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009024:Morphogenesis; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; C489784:Lhx2 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors