Inherited skin disorders affect a large population of patients. We are using stem cells to develop and implement in vitro human skin models that can recapitulate the complexity of the skin, including its appendages such as hair follicles. Our goal is to capture complex features specifically associated with inherited skin disorders, to better understand pathogenicity and develop clinical interventions.
Impact
This research bridges the gap between basic biology and clinical applications, offering new ways to understand and treat skin-related health issues.
reNEW research
Principal investigator Karine Raymond and her team have developed in vitro organoids endowed with hair follicles that resemble those of late fetal stage. However, to fully capture the complexity of the adult appendage, one of the eleven concentric cell types that form the lower part of the hair follicle is still missing. Implementing this model could open avenues for treating hair-loss associated disorders such as alopecia.
Image description
Zooming in on a hair follicle, the two major cell types of the skin–keratinocytes of the epidermis (green) and fibroblasts of the dermis (red)–are highlighted. The cell nuclei are shown in blue.
Credits
Arnoud van der Niet, Research Technician, Karine Raymond Lab, reNEW Leiden, Netherlands.
