New skin stem cells surprisingly similar to those found in
embryos Posted December 10, 2009on: Scientists have discovered a
new type of stem cell in the skin that acts surprisingly like
certain stem cells found in embryos: both can generate fat,
bone, cartilage, and even nerve cells. These newly-described
dermal stem cells may one day prove useful for treating
neurological disorders and persistent wounds, such as diabetic
ulcers, says Freda Miller, an HHMI international research
scholar. Miller and her colleagues first saw the cells several
years ago in both rodents and people, but only now confirmed
that the cells are stem cells. Like other stem cells, these cell
scan self-renew and, under the right conditions, they can grow
into the cell types that constitute the skin’s dermal layer,
which lies under the surface epidermal layer. “We showed that
these cells are, in fact, the real thing,” says Miller, a
professor at the University of Toronto and a senior scientist in
the department of developmental biology at