Figure 3

EGFP⁺ cells are present in postnatal HF epithelia and differentiate into ORS keratinocytes. (a) Scheme of OHT induction to express EGFP under the nestin promotor, depilation of truncal hairs, and sample collection. (b) Immunolabeling of EGFP (A, B, F, J, N), K14 (C, K), and K15 (G, O) in first-anagen HFs (A–I) and depilation-induced anagen HFs (J–Q) of Nes-CreERT2/CAG-CAT-EGFP mice. EGFP⁺ cells in the isthmus region of first-anagen HFs (A, B, F) were immunolabeled for K14 (C) but not K15 (G). The majority of EGFP⁺ cells in depilation-induced anagen HFs were immunolabeled for K14 (K), but EGFP⁺ cells in the isthmus region were not immunolabeled with K15 (O) as in the first-anagen HFs. Nuclei were counterstained by Hoechst 33258 (D, H, L, P). Scale bars, 20 μm (A, M), 10 μm (E, I, Q). (c) Comparison of frequencies of EGFP⁺K14⁺ cells in K14⁺ cells in first-anagen HFs with depilation-induced anagen HFs of OHT-administered Nes-CreERT2/CAG-CAT-EGFP mice (Student’s t-test). ****, p < 0.0001.