Identification and characterization of follicular stem cells

Research Project

Project/Area Number	09670884
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Dermatology
Research Institution	Saga Medical School
Principal Investigator	NARISAWA Yutaka Saga Medical School, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (60164498)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	TANAKA Tatsurou Saga Medical School, Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (60264157) MISAGO Noriyuki Saga Medical School, Lecturer, 医学部, 講師 (90199977)
Project Period (FY)	1997 – 1999
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1999)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000) Fiscal Year 1999: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000) Fiscal Year 1998: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000) Fiscal Year 1997: ¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
Keywords	Merkel cell / Langerhans cell / hair follicle / three-dimension / 3次元 / 2次元 / Merkel cell / hair follicle / rat / mouse / アポトーシス / 外毛根鞘最内層細胞 / TUNEL法 / apoptitic pocket like structure / 毛隆起
Research Abstract	The presence of Merkel cells and Langerhans cells were reported within the hair follicles on the light microscope and electron microscope. However, nobody has ever paid attention to the relationship between Merkel cells and Langerhans cells. We carried out double immunostaining techniques for Merkel cells and Langerhans cells using serial conventional paraffinized transverse sections of human scalp skin. CAM5.2 reactive Merkel cells and S-100 protein reactive Langerhans cells were clearly identified. Consequently, in some case cell bodies of Merkel cells and Langerhans cells were closely contacted with each other. Moreover, a few cases showed the direct connections with dendritic processes of Merkel cells and Langerhans cells. We prepared isolated human vellus hair follicles with EDTA. The morphology and antigenecity of these samples was well preserved, which enabled us to investigate the three-dimensional relationship between Merkel cells and Langerhans cells of human hair follicles. Merkel cells were stained with CK2O and Langerhans cells with CD1a, respectively. The three-dimensional views showed the direct contact with dendritic processes of immunoreactive Merkel cells and Langerhans cells. These findings may indicate some functional relationship between Merkel cells and Langerhans cells.