Mysterious Genetic Factors Make Adult Skin Automatically Repair and Regenerate Like Newborn Skin

 

The picture shows a regenerated skin wound, and hair follicles can form goose bumps. The green lines are the muscles attached to the regenerated hair so that they can "stand up."

Scientists at Washington State University in the United States have newly discovered a genetic factor that can automatically repair adult skin like newborn baby skin. This discovery is useful for better skin wound treatment and Preventing skin aging is of great significance. This research report was published in the September 29 issue of "eLife". Researchers discovered a genetic factor that acts like a molecular switch in the skin after the first week after the baby is born, controlling how hair follicles are formed. This "molecular switch" is usually closed after the skin is formed, and it remains closed in the skin tissue of adult mice. However, when this genetic factor is activated in special cells in adult mice, the mouse skin can heal wounds without leaving scars. "Transformed skin" can even grow hair, forming tissues similar to human "goose bumps". This ability is not seen in adult scars. Ryan Driscoll, an associate professor in the School of Molecular Biological Sciences at Washington State University, said: “We can use the innate regenerative ability of new skin to transfer this ability to old skin. We have confirmed from the principle and mechanism that this skin Regeneration is feasible."

Compared with other organisms, mammals are not good at regenerative ability. For example, the amphibian salamander can regenerate limbs and skin. The latest research from Wisconsin State University in the United States shows that the mystery of human regenerative function can be realized by studying the early development of the human body. Driscoll said: “We can find inspiration and inspiration from other organisms, but we can also understand the regenerative ability more deeply by observing the changes in our own body. As humans age, the human body will generate new tissues. ." His research team used a new technology called single-cell RNA sequencing to compare genes and cells in the skin of adolescents and adults. In the skin of adolescents at the developmental stage, they found a transcription factor protein called "Lef1". It can bind to DNA and can affect whether genes are turned on and off. Researchers have found that Lef1 and papillary fibrocytes can form cells in papillary dermal tissue, which are located only under the surface of the skin, allowing the skin to maintain tension and youthful appearance.

When researchers at Washington State University activate Lef1 factor protein on a special area of ​​the skin of adult mice, it can enhance the skin's ability to regenerate wounds, reduce scar formation, and even grow new hair follicles, which can generate goose bump-like tissue. After learning about the academic research of Dr. Michael Langer from Stanford University, Driscoll first came up with the idea of ​​studying the ability of mammals to repair skin early in life. When doctors performed emergency rescue operations in the womb, Langer and his colleagues observed These babies were born without any surgical scars. Driscoll said that there is still a lot of work to be done before the latest research results are applied to human skin, but this is only a basic advancement. With the support of the National Institutes of Health grants, the Wisconsin State University research team will continue to study How Lef1 and other factors repair skin tissue. At the same time, in order to further deepen the research, the Driscoll Laboratory has created an open and searchable network resource for RNA sequence data for other scientists to query online.