# Functional characterization of sebaceous gland stem cells and sebocytes in the skin

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2022 · $422,400

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
Normal skin function is thought to depend on sebaceous glands (SGs), which are paired appendages typically
associated with hair follicles. The main purpose of SGs is to secrete sebum, a lipid-rich substance that acts on
the skin to regulate barrier function and hydration, while possibly possessing anti-oxidant and anti-microbial
properties. Aberrant SGs have been associated with skin pathologies such as acne and scarring alopecia, but
their functional roles in disease remain unclear.
Although numerous genes and signaling pathways have been implicated in maintaining SGs, few studies have
characterized the mechanisms by which these factors modulate SG stem cell differentiation, and whether their
effects are direct or indirect. Our previous studies have found that Notch signaling simultaneously exerts dual
opposing effects on SGs: Whereas Notch directly promotes SG stem cell differentiation, this pathway also
indirectly suppresses SGs by regulating proper differentiation in the surface interfollicular epidermis. We
further observed that a PPARγ/K5 double-positive population likely serves as the immediate progenitors that
give rise to differentiated sebocytes in the gland.
This proposal seeks to identify some of the complex factors that regulate SG stem cells and to test the
requirement for SGs in maintaining normal skin function. In Aim 1, we will examine how Notch directly
promotes SG stem cell differentiation, and evaluate novel genes that may modulate SG function. In Aim 2, we
will determine how disruption of Notch-dependent epidermal differentiation causes SGs to enlarge. In Aim 3,
we will assess the consequences of deleting SGs throughout the skin. Altogether, these studies will
characterize how SG stem cells are regulated, both locally and from a distance, and potentially uncover novel
functions for these glands. These studies build upon the emerging concept that different cellular sub-
compartments in the skin are intricately linked and communicate with each other through a variety of signaling
cues.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10373597
- **Project number:** 2R01AR065409-06A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Sunny Y Wong
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $422,400
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2014-04-01 → 2026-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10373597

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10373597, Functional characterization of sebaceous gland stem cells and sebocytes in the skin (2R01AR065409-06A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10373597. Licensed CC0.

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