The Polycomb complexes, which are protein groups that keep gene expression patterns in check, are essential for proper skin growth. This could help potential stem cell therapies create "skin on a plate" to transplant into burn victims and patients with skin-blistering disorders.

 Polycomb complexes are protein groups that regulate the structure of DNA and proteins in cells to preserve gene expression patterns during early development. They're essential for repressing gene expression, or turning off individual genes, to help regulate responses to changing environments and stimuli. Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) were discovered to help preserve the skin-specific gene expression pattern needed for proper skin growth.

Polycomb complexes were studied in the developing skin of mice. When scientists bred mice lacking both complexes, they got serious skin defects, including a substantially thin epidermis that lacked critical layers for survival. PRC1 and PRC2 were discovered to aid in the normal function of gene repression, specifically the repression of transcription factors needed for the formation of non-skin tissues.

Polycomb complexes work in tandem to ensure that the skin develops properly. Polycomb complexes work together to suppress non-skin lineage programmes, allowing proper skin formation to take place. Polycomb complexes are important for skin formation, and this discovery could help to enhance current stem cell-based skin cell generation protocols. Polycomb complexes are often often overexpressed in epithelial cancers, such as skin cancers, and Polycomb inhibitors are currently being tested in clinical trials. This research indicates that using both PRC1 and PRC2 inhibitors in tandem could be a more effective therapy for cancer patients. Polycomb complexes are important for skin function, but their function in other tissues is unknown. Polycomb complexes should be studied further in forming and regenerating tissues in the future.

Editorial Team,
Dermatology Research and Skin Care
Ph No: 828 214-3944
London, United Kingdom.