Wnt Signaling Across Adult Skin Mini-Organs: Interfollicular Epidermis, Hair Follicle, and Nail—Implications for Disease and Regeneration

This review explores the role of Wnt signaling in the maintenance and regeneration of skin and its appendages, such as hair follicles and nails, highlighting its organ-specific functions. In the interfollicular epidermis, Wnt activity maintains a balance between cell proliferation and differentiation. Hair follicles use Wnt and BMP signaling to regulate hair cycle dynamics, while nails rely on spatially compartmentalized Wnt activity for growth and regeneration. The review discusses how dysregulated Wnt signaling can lead to conditions like alopecia, chronic wounds, and skin cancer, and examines emerging strategies targeting the Wnt pathway to enhance hair regrowth, wound repair, and other regenerative processes.