Isolation of multipotent adult stem cells from the dermis of mammalian skin

Abstract

We describe here the isolation of stem cells from juvenile and adult rodent skin. These cells derive from the dermis, and clones of individual cells can proliferate and differentiate in culture to produce neurons, glia, smooth muscle cells and adipocytes. Similar precursors that produce neuron-specific proteins upon differentiation can be isolated from adult human scalp. Because these cells (termed SKPs for skin-derived precursors) generate both neural and mesodermal progeny, we propose that they represent a novel multipotent adult stem cell and suggest that skin may provide an accessible, autologous source of stem cells for transplantation.

Age-Dependent Depletion of Human Skin-Derived Progenitor Cells

“…Several laboratories have now reported the existence of a multipotent dermal precursor cell population, the skin-derived precursor (SKP) cells (reviewed by Miller and coworkers [20,41]). Initially derived from rodents, now several groups reported isolation of SKPs from human scalp, foreskin, arm, beard and chin, in subjects ranging from fetal to old age [22,23,30,31,34,[36][37][38][39]. Transplantation of SKPs to animal models of disease has raised expectations for their potential use in human cell therapy [23][24][25][26][27][28][29].…”

“…To quantify the SKP cell pool in human samples, we set to analyze two characteristics that define a SKP as such: (a) the ability to form spheres when expanded in proliferation medium as first published by Miller and coworkers [20,34] and (b) the potential to differentiate in vitro to at least two different lineages (neural and smooth muscle) when put in differentiation media, as assessed by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy (for relevant lineage expression markers). Human biopsies were obtained from healthy subjects after informed consent, by making use of skin tissue remnants of medical procedures such as aesthetic surgery or circumcisions (supporting information Table 1).…”

“…Human SKPs have been previously derived from scalp [22,34,37,38], foreskin [30,36], arm [39], and the facial area [22]. However, there has been little or no phenotypic characterization of the SKPs isolated from these areas.…”

Updates on stem cells and their applications in regenerative medicine

“…However, throughout the organism's life, non-ESCs retain a multipotent differentiation potential. Non-ESCs can be derived from several sources including amniotic fluid (De Coppi et al, 2007), umbilical cord tissue (Wharton's jelly) (Wang et al, 2004), fat tissue (Zuk et al, 2001), central nervous system (Gage, 2000), bone marrow (Caplan, 1991), retina (Tropepe et al, 2000) and skin (Toma et al, 2001). Here we discuss some of the main sources of adult stem cells with translational potential.…”

“…As with neural tissue, it develops from the embryonic ectoderm germ layer. Toma et al (2001) described the isolation of multipotent cells from the dermis of juvenile and adult rodents. The authors claimed that these cells proliferated and differentiated in culture to produce both neural and mesodermal cell types, including neurones, glia, smooth muscle and adipocytes.…”