The Potential of Nail Mini-Organ Stem Cells in Skin, Nail and Digit Tips Regeneration. 2021

Anna Pulawska-Czub, and Tomasz D Pieczonka, and Paula Mazurek, and Krzysztof Kobielak
Laboratory of Stem Cells, Development and Tissue Regeneration, Centre of New Technologies (CeNT), University of Warsaw (UW), 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.

Nails are highly keratinized skin appendages that exhibit continuous growth under physiological conditions and full regeneration upon removal. These mini-organs are maintained by two autonomous populations of skin stem cells. The fast-cycling, highly proliferative stem cells of the nail matrix (nail stem cells (NSCs)) predominantly replenish the nail plate. Furthermore, the slow-cycling population of the nail proximal fold (nail proximal fold stem cells (NPFSCs)) displays bifunctional properties by contributing to the peri-nail epidermis under the normal homeostasis and the nail structure upon injury. Here, we discuss nail mini-organ stem cells' location and their role in skin and nail homeostasis and regeneration, emphasizing their importance to orchestrate the whole digit tip regeneration. Such endogenous regeneration capabilities are observed in rodents and primates. However, they are limited to the region adjacent to the nail's proximal area, indicating the crucial role of nail mini-organ stem cells in digit restoration. Further, we explore the molecular characteristics of nail mini-organ stem cells and the critical role of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and Wnt signaling pathways in homeostatic nail growth and digit restoration. Finally, we investigate the latest accomplishments in stimulating regenerative responses in regeneration-incompetent injuries. These pioneer results might open up new opportunities to overcome amputated mammalian digits and limbs' regenerative failures in the future.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009262 Nails The thin, horny plates that cover the dorsal surfaces of the distal phalanges of the fingers and toes of primates. Fingernails,Toenails,Fingernail,Nail,Toenail
D012038 Regeneration The physiological renewal, repair, or replacement of tissue. Endogenous Regeneration,Regeneration, Endogenous,Regenerations
D002454 Cell Differentiation Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs. Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D005121 Extremities The farthest or outermost projections of the body, such as the HAND and FOOT. Limbs,Extremity,Limb
D006706 Homeostasis The processes whereby the internal environment of an organism tends to remain balanced and stable. Autoregulation
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000078404 Epidermal Cells Cells from the outermost, non-vascular layer (EPIDERMIS) of the skin. Epidermal Cell,Epidermic Cells,Cell, Epidermal,Cell, Epidermic,Cells, Epidermic,Epidermic Cell
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012867 Skin The outer covering of the body that protects it from the environment. It is composed of the DERMIS and the EPIDERMIS.
D013234 Stem Cells Relatively undifferentiated cells that retain the ability to divide and proliferate throughout postnatal life to provide progenitor cells that can differentiate into specialized cells. Colony-Forming Units,Mother Cells,Progenitor Cells,Colony-Forming Unit,Cell, Mother,Cell, Progenitor,Cell, Stem,Cells, Mother,Cells, Progenitor,Cells, Stem,Colony Forming Unit,Colony Forming Units,Mother Cell,Progenitor Cell,Stem Cell

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