β-Catenin Activation Regulates Tissue Growth Non-Cell Autonomously in the Hair Stem Cell Niche
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling is critical for tissue regeneration. However, it is unclear how β-catenin controls stem cell behaviors to coordinate organized growth. Using live imaging, we show that activation of β-catenin specifically within mouse hair follicle stem cells generates new hair growth through oriented cell divisions and cellular displacement. β-Catenin activation is sufficient to induce hair growth independently of mesenchymal dermal papilla niche signals normally required for hair regeneration. Wild-type cells are co-opted into new hair growths by β-catenin mutant cells, which non-cell autonomously activate Wnt signaling within the neighboring wild-type cells via Wnt ligands. This study demonstrates a mechanism by which Wnt/β-catenin signaling controls stem cell-dependent tissue growth non-cell autonomously and advances our understanding of the mechanisms that drive coordinated regeneration.
- Publication:
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Science
- Pub Date:
- March 2014
- DOI:
- 10.1126/science.1248373
- Bibcode:
- 2014Sci...343.1353D
- Keywords:
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- DEVELOPMENT Cell-Biology, Genetics, Molecular-Biology