Understanding potency and role of individual stem cells in the skin using Rainbow technology (2013-2014)

Epidermal stem cells of the skin maintain at steady state its different compartments: the hair follicle, the interfollicular epidermis and the sebaceous glands each having its specific progenitor. Despite recent progress, there is debate on the exact role of these cells in generating each compartment. In this project, using genetic multicolour labelling of individual cells, we propose to track in an unbiased way the fate of all epidermal cells, individually. This will answer important questions that previous models could not address properly because they labelled cells in large groups and with a single colour. Our project has the potential to change our current view on how the skin maintains and repairs itself.