Fibroblasts Regulation and Aberrant Scarring
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is involved in a wide range of important organical activities with differential effects in several cell types. The activity of FGF is modulated by glycosaminoglycans, found both in the extracellular matrix and on the cell surface.
These molecules are critical in injury healing. Such a dynamic process is interactive and depends on an adequate regulation of fibroblasts.
Without control of these processes, excessive scar tissue develops. Because of inefficient healing, keloids and hypertrophic scars often become a problem. These are both serious health problems that affect people’s quality of life, due to high treatment costs and often unsatisfactory results.
A Fibroblast is a type of cell that promotes the proliferation of keratinocytes and the creation of reticular and elastic fibers, and glycoproteins found in the extracellular matrix. The proliferation of fibroblasts enhances the epidermal morphology.
Keratinocytes appear in the basal layer from the division of keratinocyte stem cells. They are rushed through the layers of the epidermis, undergoing gradual specialization until they reach the stratum corneum where they form a layer of enucleated, flattened, strongly keratinized cells called squamous cells. This layer forms an efficient barrier to the entry of foreign matter and infectious agents in the body and minimizes moisture loss.
Stem Cells and Skin Health
Usually, in the process of scar removal keratinocytes are eliminated and replaced continuously from the stratum corneum. The time of transit from the basal layer to the shedding stage is about four weeks, although this can be accelerated in conditions of keratinocyte hyperproliferation, like psoriasis.
We can define a stem cell in an adult organism as any cell with an elevated capacity for self-renewal that remains throughout adult life. In addition, stem cells are commonly considered to possess the potential to produce differentiated progeny.
According to these characteristics, the epidermis has long been recognized as having a resident stem cell stock. The tissue consists of a layered squamous epithelium (interfollicular epidermis; IFE) with associated capillary follicles and glandular structures (the sebaceous glands and sweat glands).
The IFE undergoes constant turnover and there is a never failing need to replace the devitalized, terminally specialized cells of the outermost cornified layers through the proliferation of cells in the basal layer.
It is now well accepted that stem cells inside the epidermis are multipotent and able to create daughter cells that differentiate along multiple lineages. Stem cells within the hair follicle bulge can create progeny that differentiate not only in all the capillary follicle lineages, but also in sebocytes and the interfollicular epidermis.
After exposure to adequate mesenchymal signals, cells of the interfollicular epidermis are able of originating hair or sebaceous lineages. There is, however, evidence for the presence of distinct stem cell groups inside the IFE and sebaceous gland. These findings can be reconciled by verifying that there are separate stem cell populations inside the hair, sebaceous gland and IFE.
Each of these can create daughters that differentiate along any of the epidermal lineages. Under steady conditions, however, the stem cells normally give rise to a more selected repertoire in reaction to signals from the local microenvironment.
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