In this study, we identified a population of Itga8+ mesenchymal cells at hair germ (HG)–dermal papilla (DP) interface, characterised by their unique localisation and flat processes that separate the HG from the DP. This interface localisation of Itga8+ cells is regulated by epithelial nephronectin. The loss of nephronectin disrupts the localisation of these cells, leading to the loss of physical separation between the HG and DP and accelerated hair cycle progression. These findings suggest that nephronectin-mediated interactions between Itga8+ cells and epithelial progenitor cells modulate signalling events at the HG–DP interface, which are required for proper hair cycle regulation.
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Weiwen Liu, Noriko Sanzen, Takaya Abe, Hiroshi Kiyonari, Nick Barker, Zhiqi Hu, Hironobu Fujiwara (2025) Nephronectin mediates the interaction between hair follicle epithelial progenitors and dermal stem cells and is involved in hair cycle progression., The Journal of investigative dermatology
Published in 2025 Aug 25 (Electronic publication in Aug. 25, 2025, midnight )
(Abstract) None