Nestin-expressing interfollicular blood vessel network contributes to skin transplant survival and wound healing.
Using nestin-driven green fluorescent protein (ND-GFP) transgenic mice, we previously demonstrated an inter-hair-follicle blood vessel network that expresses ND-GFP and appears to originate from ND-GFP expressing hair-follicle stem cells. We report here that angiogenesis of transplanted skin or healing wounds originates from this ND-GFP-expressing microvasculature network. ND-GFP-expressing blood vessels were visualized growing from the ND-GFP-expressing hair-follicle stem cell area and re-establishing the dermal microvasculature network after skin transplantation or wound healing. When the ND-GFP stem cell area from the vibrissa (whisker) from ND-GFP mice was transplanted to transgenic mice ubiquitously expressing RFP, we observed chimeric ND-GFP-RFP blood vessels, suggesting the joining of inter-follicular blood vessel networks from the transplant and host. These observations suggest that the inter-hair-follicle blood-vessel network contributes to skin transplant survival and wound healing.
Aki
Ryoichi
R
AntiCancer, Inc., 7917 Ostrow Street, San Diego, California 92111, USA.
Amoh
Yasuyuki
Y
Li
Lingna
L
Katsuoka
Kensei
K
Hoffman
Robert M
RM
D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism*; D006085:Graft Survival; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D064231:Nestin; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D014945:Wound Healing; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein; C577485:Nes protein, mouse