Defining Transcriptional Signatures of Human Hair Follicle Cell States

Rie Takahashi; Adrienne Grzenda; Thomas F Allison; Jeffrey Rawnsley; Samuel J Balin; Shan Sabri; Kathrin Plath; William E Lowry

doi:10.1016/j.jid.2019.07.726

Defining Transcriptional Signatures of Human Hair Follicle Cell States

J Invest Dermatol. 2020 Apr;140(4):764-773.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2019.07.726. Epub 2019 Oct 31.

Authors

Rie Takahashi¹, Adrienne Grzenda², Thomas F Allison³, Jeffrey Rawnsley⁴, Samuel J Balin¹, Shan Sabri⁵, Kathrin Plath⁶, William E Lowry⁷

Affiliations

¹ Division of Dermatology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
² Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
³ Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
⁴ Department of Plastic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
⁵ Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
⁶ Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
⁷ Division of Dermatology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address: blowry@ucla.edu.

Abstract

The epidermis and its appendage, the hair follicle, represent an elegant developmental system in which cells are replenished with regularity because of controlled proliferation, lineage specification, and terminal differentiation. Although transcriptome data exists for human epidermal and dermal cells, the hair follicle remains poorly characterized. Through single-cell resolution profiling of the epidermis and anagen hair follicle, we characterized the anatomical, transcriptional, functional, and pathological profiles of distinct epidermal, hair follicle, and hair follicle-associated cell subpopulations including melanocytes, endothelial cells, and immune cells. We additionally traced the differentiation trajectory of interfollicular and matrix cell progenitors and explored the association of specific cell subpopulations to known molecular signatures of common skin conditions. These data simultaneously corroborate prior murine and human studies while offering new insights into epidermal and hair follicle differentiation and pathogenesis.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Differentiation
Endothelial Cells / cytology*
Hair Follicle / cytology*
Humans
Skin / cytology*
Stem Cells / cytology*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding