Optogenetically Controlled TrkA Activity Improves the Regenerative Capacity of Hair-Follicle-Derived Stem Cells to Differentiate into Neurons and Glia

    September 2020 in “ Advanced Biology ”
    Taida Huang, Yan Zhang, Zitian Wang, Yunxin Zeng, Nan Wang, Huaxun Fan, Zhangsen Huang, Yixun Su, Xiaomin Huang, Hui Chen, Kai Zhang, Chenju Yi
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    TLDR Blue-light activation of TrkA improves hair-follicle stem cells' ability to become neurons and glial cells.
    The study demonstrated that hair-follicle-derived stem cells (HSCs) from the mouse vibrissa hair follicle could differentiate into neuronal and glial cells, with the TrkA receptor playing a crucial role in this process. By introducing the OptoTrkA system, which activates TrkA via blue-light illumination, researchers found that TrkA signaling enhanced the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of HSCs into neural cells. The ability to precisely control TrkA activity with optogenetics suggested a promising strategy for neuron regeneration and potential clinical applications in cell-transplantation therapy.
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