title: β-Catenin activation regulates tissue growth non-cell autonomously in the hair stem cell niche.
abstract: Wnt/β-catenin signaling is critical for tissue regeneration. However, it is unclear how β-catenin controls stem cell behaviors to coordinate organized growth. Using live imaging, we show that activation of β-catenin specifically within mouse hair follicle stem cells generates new hair growth through oriented cell divisions and cellular displacement. β-Catenin activation is sufficient to induce hair growth independently of mesenchymal dermal papilla niche signals normally required for hair regeneration. Wild-type cells are co-opted into new hair growths by β-catenin mutant cells, which non-cell autonomously activate Wnt signaling within the neighboring wild-type cells via Wnt ligands. This study demonstrates a mechanism by which Wnt/β-catenin signaling controls stem cell-dependent tissue growth non-cell autonomously and advances our understanding of the mechanisms that drive coordinated regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Deschene
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Myung
authors.forename: Panteleimon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rompolas
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zito
authors.forename: Thomas Yang
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Makoto M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Taketo
authors.forename: Ichiko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saotome
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Greco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D006197:Hair / Q000254:growth & development*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008024:Ligands; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D055153:Stem Cell Niche; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D013629:Tamoxifen