Past stem cells and finally in transit: SLC 1A3 instructs skin niche coupling

Abstract

During postnatal growth of the skin and homeostatic hair cycling, different proliferative compartments contribute to tissue expansion and establishment of a functional epidermis. A new study by Reichenbach et al () reports coordinated proliferation of three distinct epithelial stem cell niches and a role for glutamate transporter Slc1a3 in synchronisation of activated stem and progenitor cells.