Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is part of a wide range of important organical activities with differential actions in several cell types. The activity of FGF is modulated by glycosaminoglycans, found both in the extracellular space and on the cell surface.

These molecules are crucial in wound healing. Such a dynamic mechanism is interactive and depends on the proper regulation of fibroblasts.

Without regulation of these processes, excessive scar tissue develops. Because of impaired healing, keloids and hypertrophic scars often become a problem. These are both serious health conditions that alter people's quality of life, due to high treatment costs and frequent poor results.

A Fibroblast is a kind of cell that promotes the proliferation of keratinocytes and the creation of collagens, and glycoproteins found in the extracellular matrix. The proliferation of fibroblasts improves the epidermal morphology.

Keratinocytes appear in the basal layer from the mitosis of keratinocyte stem cells. They are pushed up through the layers of the epidermis, undergoing gradual specialization until they reach the stratum corneum where they create a layer of enucleated, flattened, highly keratinized cells named squamous cells. This layer creates an efficient barrier to the entry of foreign matter and infectious agents in the body and minimizes humidity loss.

Stem Cells and Skin Health

Typically occurring during the process of scar removal keratinocytes are shed and restored continuously from the stratum corneum. The time of transit from the basal layer to the shedding stage is about one month, although this can be sped up in conditions of keratinocyte hyperproliferation, like psoriasis.

We can define a stem cell in an adult organism as any cell with a high capacity for self-renewal that remains throughout adult life. In addition, stem cells are usually considered to possess the potential to produce differentiated progeny.

According to these criteria, the epidermis has long been recognized as having a resident stem cell stock. The tissue consists of a stratified squamous epithelium (interfollicular epidermis; IFE) with associated capillary follicles and glandular structures (the sebaceous glands and sweat glands).

The IFE undergoes constant turnover and there is a never failing need to replace the dead, ultimately specialized cells of the external cornified layers through the proliferation of cells in the basal layer.

It is now well accepted that stem cells inside the epidermis are multipotent and able to create daughter cells that differentiate along several lineages. Stem cells within the hair follicle bulge can produce progeny that differentiate not only in all the capillary follicle descendants, but also in sebocytes and the interfollicular epidermis.

Following exposure to appropriate mesenchymal signals, cells of the interfollicular epidermis are capable of giving rise to hair or sebaceous descendants. There is, nevertheless, evidence for the presence of distinct stem cell groups inside the IFE and sebaceous gland. These observations can be reconciled by verifying that there are different stem cell populations inside the hair, sebaceous gland and IFE.

Each of these has the capacity to generate daughters that differentiate along any of the skin lineages. In steady conditions, however, the stem cells usually originate a more restricted repertoire in response to signals from the local microenvironment.

Get rid of your scars quickly using our organic scar removal product, made with natural ingredients to ensure no unwanted side effects.