Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
HFSCs have been used in preparing skin equivalent and can form epithelium
when the cells are implanted in deep burn wounds. h is result suggests that HFSCs
can be used in preparing composite skin substitutes containing the epidermis and
dermis.
SUMMARY
• Tissue-specii c stem cells are dei ned as cells that have the ability to self-
renew and to dif erentiate into multilineage cells.
• h e stem cells reside in special areas in tissues and organs where their
stemness is maintained and controlled (such areas being called niches).
• h e physical adhesion between the stem cells and the niche cells, mediated
by adhesion molecules, is essential for the maintenance of stemness, self-
renewal and dif erentiation of stem cells.
• Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have been most extensively studied and
are known to express adhesion molecules of the cadherin family, integrin
family, immunoglobulin superfamily, CD44 family and sialomucin family.
• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the capacity to dif erentiate into
mesodermal, endodermal and ectodermal lineages and can also proliferate
extensively
in vitro
and suppress the immuno-response. h e cells express
immunoglobulin superfamily (ICAM-1, ICAM-3, VCAM-1, ALCAM),
CD44 and P-selectin, etc.
• h e purii cation of neural stem cells (NSCs), hepatic stem cells (HpSCs)
and hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) remains inadequate despite extensive
studies.
• Cadherin and integrin molecules are expressed by NSCs, HpSCs and
HFSCs and contribute to the maintenance of stemness, the proliferation
and the migration of these stem cells.
Acknowledgments
We thank Mr. H. Eastwick-Field and Ms. K. Ando for manuscript preparation.
Abbreviations
ALCAM (CD166)
activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule
EpCAM (CD326)
epithelial cell adhesion molecule
GFAP
glial i brillary acidic protein
HFSCs
hair follicle stem cells
HGF
hepatocyte growth factor
HPCs
hematopoietic progenitor cells
