Differences in the skin microbiome could reveal clues as to why some cases of atopic dermatitis are more severe than others.
A microRNA called miR-355 has been identified as the key regulator of skin cell differentiation in patients with atopic dermatitis.
Researchers at A*STAR have discovered how a class of small proteins is essential for metabolism.
Using magnets, scientists have developed an innovative pressure-based technique that represents a new frontier in needle-free drug delivery.
A new generation of smart dressings could help to guard against the danger of wounds that do not heal.
A*STAR scientists have uncovered a novel surface marker that identifies stem cells and potential cancer stem cells in the distal stomach.
A*STAR scientists have identified a microRNA that can potentially be targeted for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.
A*STAR scientists have identified stem cells required for successful embryo implantation during pregnancy.
Nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, regulates the metabolism of skin stem cells to delay cellular aging.
Researchers at A*STAR have combined two super resolution microscopy techniques to observe structural protein dynamics inside cells.
While no single mouse model replicates the entire spectrum of eczema in humans, collectively they provide valuable clues into how specific aspects of the disease arise.
Need to monitor how well a wound is healing? There’s an app for that.
Dr Lim and co-authors recently published Dynamic shifts in chromatin states differentially mark the proliferative basal cells and terminally differentiated cells of the developing epidermis. In this study, the team investigated the dynamics of key histone modifications in epidermal cells at the early-, mid- and late- stages of embryonic skin development and identified chromatin signatures associated with skin formation and differentiation. The results reveal the dynamic chromatin states that occur as progenitor cells commit to the lineage and provide insight to the underlying epigenetic pathways that support normal skin development and homeostasis.
The Polyamine Putrescine Promotes Human Epidermal Melanogenesis was recently published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and shows that a group of molecules known as polyamines have the ability to promote melanogenesis – the process of pigment formation – in human skin. The paper also shows that inhibition of polyamines in cells can prevent the polyamine induced promotion of pigmentation. This is the first time the polyamines have been shown to be involved in pigmentation control and the work has important implications for the development of new treatments for pigmentation conditions. The Vardy lab is currently working on understanding how polyamines contribute to human pigmentation conditions and hope to develop new treatments.
Image: cross section of human skin showing polyamines promoting pigmentation. Melanin pigment can be seen in black in the epidermis.
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