Simultaneous isolation of three different stem cell populations from murine skin

Abstract

The skin is a rich source of readily accessible stemcells. The level of plasticity afforded by these cells is becoming increasingly important as the potential of stemcells in Cell Therapy and RegenerativeMedicine continues to be explored. Several protocols described single type stem cell isolation fromskin; however, none of them afforded simultaneous isolation ofmore than one population. Herein, we describe the simultaneous isolation and characterization of three stemcell populations from the dermis and epidermis ofmurine skin, namely Epidermal Stem Cells (EpiSCs), Skin-derived Precursors (SKPs) and Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). The simultaneous isolation was possible through a simple protocol based on culture selection techniques. These cell populations are shown to be capable of generating chondrocytes, adipocytes, osteocytes, terminally differentiated keratinocytes, neurons and glia, rendering this protocol suitable for the isolation of cells for tissue replenishment and cell based therapies. The advantages of this procedure are far-reaching since the skin is not only the largest organ in the body, but also provides an easily accessible source of stemcells for autologous graft. Copyright: