Mechanical Instability of Adherens Junctions Overrides Intrinsic Quiescence of Hair Follicle Stem Cells

The study investigated the role of vinculin, a mechanotransducer, in maintaining the quiescence of bulge stem cells (BuSCs) in murine skin. The researchers found that knocking out vinculin led to the loss of BuSC quiescence due to impaired force generation and mechanically weak adherens junctions (AJs). Vinculin was shown to maintain α-catenin in a stretched conformation, which is crucial for retaining YAP1, a regulator of cell proliferation, at the junctions. The conditional knockout of α-catenin in BuSCs further supported the importance of stable AJs in preserving BuSC quiescence and stemness. This study provided insights into the regulatory link between the mechanical stability of cell junctions and the maintenance of BuSC quiescence.