Fig. 3: Oca2⁺ cells located in the TA compartment can undergo dedifferentiation during anagen.

a–c, Oca2^creER;Rosa^LSL-tdTomato mice were injected with tamoxifen three times during depilation-induced anagen onset for Oca2⁺ cell lineage tracing. a, Detection of tdTomato and Oca2 (fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)) as indicated. Denoted areas of tdTomato-only detection are reconstructed using Imaris (magenta, tdTomato⁺; green, DAPI). Magnified views of tdTomato immunofluorescence (IF) and OCA2 FISH are represented in single colour. b, Number of tdTomato⁺ cells over time. N = 5 mice (anagen onset and telogen) and N = 3 mice (2-year telogen). Five areas were analysed per mouse. P values were derived using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni multiple comparison test, with 95% confidence intervals of −0.7397 to 1.993. c, Detection of tdTomato in telogen and induced anagen at 2 years following tamoxifen treatment. d, Left, timeline of injections and analysis 7 days after depilation of tdTomato expression in Oca2^creER;Rosa^LSL-tdTomato mice treated with PBS (control) or a c-Kit-neutralizing antibody. Right, images and quantification of tdTomato⁺ McSCs. N = 3 mice. Ten areas were analysed per mouse. P value derived by two-tailed unpaired t-test. e, Live lineage tracing of a single tdTomato⁺ cell of Oca2^creER:Rosa^LSL-tdTomato;K14^rtTA:tetO^H2B-GFP mice reveals three fates. GFP marks K14⁺ epithelial cells. Cartoon illustrates the relative locations of tdTomato⁺ melanocytes and other melanocytes in the HF. White asterisks indicate tdTomato⁺ cells in an unrelated HF. f, Percentages of single Oca2⁺ cells in the lowest HG region (N = 13 HFs from 1 mouse) or the upper HG (N = 13 HFs from 1 mouse) that give rise to specific progeny as defined. Insets in mid/late anagen images in a and c show bright-field images of the bulb. For b and d, data are presented as the mean ± s.d. Scale bars, 20 μm or 10 μm (single colour images of a). Dashed white lines outline the epithelial–dermal boundary (a,c,d,e).

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