Sweat glands play an important role in skin physiology and are an integral part of the natural skin barrier. In order to maintain functionality throughout life, sweat glands make use of several types of stem cells. This chapter focuses on the classification of different types of stem cells found in the sweat gland and their physiological roles. First, sweat gland formation during skin maturation is addressed in order to give an overview of sweat gland origin and formation in vivo. Then, different kinds of adult sweat gland stem cells are introduced and classified between different potency levels and corresponding physiological roles. Finally, the importance of these cell sources for future developments, including applications in wound healing and cosmetics research, is discussed.
Keywords: Adult stem cells; Cell differentiation; Glands; Multipotency; Nestin; Skin appendages; Skin barrier; Sweat glands; Wound healing; Wound regeneration.