Sweat gland development requires an eccrine dermal niche and couples two epidermal programs

Dev Cell. 2024 Jan 8;59(1):20-32.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.11.015. Epub 2023 Dec 13.

Abstract

Eccrine sweat glands are indispensable for human thermoregulation and, similar to other mammalian skin appendages, form from multipotent epidermal progenitors. Limited understanding of how epidermal progenitors specialize to form these vital organs has precluded therapeutic efforts toward their regeneration. Herein, we applied single-nucleus transcriptomics to compare the expression content of wild-type, eccrine-forming mouse skin to that of mice harboring a skin-specific disruption of Engrailed 1 (En1), a transcription factor that promotes eccrine gland formation in humans and mice. We identify two concurrent but disproportionate epidermal transcriptomes in the early eccrine anlagen: one that is shared with hair follicles and one that is En1 dependent and eccrine specific. We demonstrate that eccrine development requires the induction of a dermal niche proximal to each developing gland in humans and mice. Our study defines the signatures of eccrine identity and uncovers the eccrine dermal niche, setting the stage for targeted regeneration and comprehensive skin repair.

Keywords: dermal niche; development; eccrine gland; ectodermal appendage; skin appendage; sweat.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Eccrine Glands* / metabolism
  • Epidermis* / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hair Follicle / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mammals
  • Mice
  • Skin