Project description:The feather follicle is a “professional” regenerative organ that undergoes natural cycling and, regeneration after wound plucking. Similar to mammalian hair follicle, dermal papilla (DP) controls feather regeneration, shape, size, and axis. Here we report gene expression profiling for feather DP at different growth stages. For growth phase, we compared gene expression of DP, the ramogenic zone of feather branching epithelium (Erz) and the mesenchymal pulp (Pp). We also compared gene expression of DP at resting phase. To characterize the feather regeneration process, we further profiled gene expression at Day-2 and Day-4 post wound. Our results provide a resource for investigating feather growth and regeneration. Examination of gene expression in dermal papilla (DP) at growth phase and resting phase feather follicle, and during feather regeneration.
Project description:The feather follicle is a “professional” regenerative organ that undergoes natural cycling and, regeneration after wound plucking. Similar to mammalian hair follicle, dermal papilla (DP) controls feather regeneration, shape, size, and axis. Here we report gene expression profiling for feather DP at different growth stages. For growth phase, we compared gene expression of DP, the ramogenic zone of feather branching epithelium (Erz) and the mesenchymal pulp (Pp). We also compared gene expression of DP at resting phase. To characterize the feather regeneration process, we further profiled gene expression at Day-2 and Day-4 post wound. Our results provide a resource for investigating feather growth and regeneration.
Project description:Perform bulk RNA-seq in two groups of samples. Group 1 (sample 1 to 12) , Four dermal components in Early Growth phase feather follicle. Group 2 (sample 13 to 21), Pulp in different developmental stages.
Project description:Dermal papilla cells isolated from the human hair follicle are capable of inducing hair growth in recipient epithelia. However, demonstrating disparity from rodent dermal papilla, human cells lose this inductive competance immediately upon growth in culture under normal growth conditions. We grew dermal papilla cells in hanging drop cultures that are morphologically akin to intact dermal papilla, and found that by enhancing the environment for aggregation, we could restore the inductive capacity of human dermal papilla cells in culture. The underlying genes that regulate the inductive potential of dermal papilla cells is not well understood, and we sought to use global profiling to identify key genes and pathways related to inductive competance within dermal papilla cells. We used Affymetrix microarrays to profile human dermal papilla cells in both hair inducing, and non-hair inducing states. Affymetrix microarrays were used to to perform profiling of human dermal papilla cells, both as intact tissues (freshly isolated from scalp), and at several stages in subsequent two dimensional culture; cell explant outgrowths (p0), cells at passage 1 (p1), passage 3 (p3) and passage 5 (p5). RNA was isolated from cultured cells 72 hours after feeding. Cells at passage 3 were also grown in hanging drops to form dermal spheroids, that were used for RNA collection 48 hours after establishment. All experiments were performed using tissue from three biological replicates (#D5, D6, D7),
Project description:Dermal papilla cells isolated from the human hair follicle are capable of inducing hair growth in recipient epithelia. However, demonstrating disparity from rodent dermal papilla, human cells lose this inductive competance immediately upon growth in culture under normal growth conditions. We grew dermal papilla cells in hanging drop cultures that are morphologically akin to intact dermal papilla, and found that by enhancing the environment for aggregation, we could restore the inductive capacity of human dermal papilla cells in culture. The underlying genes that regulate the inductive potential of dermal papilla cells is not well understood, and we sought to use global profiling to identify key genes and pathways related to inductive competance within dermal papilla cells. We used Affymetrix microarrays to profile human dermal papilla cells in both hair inducing, and non-hair inducing states.
Project description:Different types of hair follicles can be found in the skin of mice. It is believed that the signals that control hair follicle differentiation arise from cells in a structure called the dermal papilla. Understanding the nature of those signals is of interest for the biology of the normal tissue. We have developed a technique for isolation of dermal cells by enzymatic digestion of intact skin. We have identified two subpopulations of cells that can be separated by FACS. The Sox2-positive CD133-positive cells are found exclusively in the dermal papillae of guard/awl/auchene hairs, while Sox2-negative, CD133-positive cells are found in the other hair follicle types. We compared these populations with unfractionated dermal cells. We isolated the following 3 populations of cells from the back skin of neonatal mice (P2) by Flow Cytometry: 1) GFP-CD133- Total dermal cells 2) GFP-CD133+ Dermal Papilla cells 3) GFP+CD133+ Dermal Papilla cells The yield is approximately 50,000 cells of each population.
Project description:Feather evolution enabled feathered dinosaurs and early Mesozoic birds to venture into new ecological niches. Studying how feathers and scales are specified provides insight into how a new organ evolves. We use genome-wide analyses to identify feather-associated genes and test their feather-forming ability by expressing them in chicken and alligator scales. Intermediate morphotypes revealed five cardinal morphogenetic events: localized growth zone, follicle invagination, branching, feather keratin differentiation and dermal papilla formation. In contrast to molecules known to induce feathers on scales (retinoic acid, beta-catenin), we identify novel scale-feather converters (Sox2, Zic1, Grem1, Spry2, Sox18) which induce only one or several of the five regulatory modules. Some morphotypes resemble filamentous appendages found in feathered dinosaur fossils, while others demonstrate some characteristics of modern feathers. We propose that at least five morpho-regulatory modules were used to diversify ancient reptile scales. The regulatory combination and hierarchical integration led to extant feather forms.
Project description:Feather evolution enabled feathered dinosaurs and early Mesozoic birds to venture into new ecological niches. Studying how feathers and scales are specified provides insight into how a new organ evolves. We use genome-wide analyses to identify feather-associated genes and test their feather-forming ability by expressing them in chicken and alligator scales. Intermediate morphotypes revealed five cardinal morphogenetic events: localized growth zone, follicle invagination, branching, feather keratin differentiation and dermal papilla formation. In contrast to molecules known to induce feathers on scales (retinoic acid, beta-catenin), we identify novel scale-feather converters (Sox2, Zic1, Grem1, Spry2, Sox18) which induce only one or several of the five regulatory modules. Some morphotypes resemble filamentous appendages found in feathered dinosaur fossils, while others demonstrate some characteristics of modern feathers. We propose that at least five morpho-regulatory modules were used to diversify ancient reptile scales. The regulatory combination and hierarchical integration led to extant feather forms.