Table 2.
Matricellular proteins for maintenance of hair follicles and sebaceous gland stem cells.
| Process | Matricellular Protein |
Function | References & Study Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair follicle stem cells homeostasis | Tenascin C | promotes WNT signaling and maintains hair follicle stem cells | [32] (mouse) |
| Periostin | pro-cell proliferation in the hair follicles post-wounding | [108] (mouse) | |
| CCN2 | maintenance of hair follicle stem cell quiescence | [109] (mouse) | |
| R-spondin 2 | activates hair follicle stem cells, cell proliferation of dermal papilla and dermal sheath | [110] (human hair follicles & mouse), [111] (human scalp & mouse skin, [96] (mouse) | |
| R-spondin 3 | cell proliferation of dermal papilla and dermal sheath | [96] (mouse), [111] (human scalp & mouse skin) | |
| Mindin (Spon2) | gene expression is decreased in aging hair follicle stem cells, role unknown in the hair follicle | [112] (mouse) | |
| Thrombospondin 1 | gene expression is increased in aging hair follicle stem cells, hair follicle and vasculature regression in catagen | [112] (mouse skin), [113] (mouse) | |
| Sebaceous gland stem cells | Fibronectin * | maintenance of basal sebocytes | [58] (mouse) |
* Fibronectin is not classified as matricellular proteins but they bear non-structural functions too via binding to matricellular proteins or regulating growth factors’ bio-availability.