Regeneration of fat cells from myofibroblasts during wound healing.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Although regeneration through the reprogramming of one cell lineage to another occurs in fish and amphibians, it has not been observed in mammals. We discovered in the mouse that during wound healing, adipocytes regenerate from myofibroblasts, a cell type thought to be differentiated and nonadipogenic. Myofibroblast reprogramming required neogenic hair follicles, which triggered bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling and then activation of adipocyte transcription factors expressed during development. Overexpression of the BMP antagonist Noggin in hair follicles or deletion of the BMP receptor in myofibroblasts prevented adipocyte formation. Adipocytes formed from human keloid fibroblasts either when treated with BMP or when placed with human hair follicles in vitro. Thus, we identify the myofibroblast as a plastic cell type that may be manipulated to treat scars in humans.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Plikus, MV; Guerrero-Juarez, CF; Ito, M; Li, YR; Dedhia, PH; Zheng, Y; Shao, M; Gay, DL; Ramos, R; Hsi, T-C; Oh, JW; Wang, X; Ramirez, A; Konopelski, SE; Elzein, A; Wang, A; Supapannachart, RJ; Lee, H-L; Lim, CH; Nace, A; Guo, A; Treffeisen, E; Andl, T; Ramirez, RN; Murad, R; Offermanns, S; Metzger, D; Chambon, P; Widgerow, AD; Tuan, T-L; Mortazavi, A; Gupta, RK; Hamilton, BA; Millar, SE; Seale, P; Pear, WS; Lazar, MA; Cotsarelis, G

Published Date

  • February 17, 2017

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 355 / 6326

Start / End Page

  • 748 - 752

PubMed ID

  • 28059714

Pubmed Central ID

  • PMC5464786

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1095-9203

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1126/science.aai8792

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States