# Melanocyte Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine

> **NIH VA I01** · BALTIMORE VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · —

## Abstract

The proposed continuation study is designed to leverage information from our prior
comprehensive characterization of subsets of hair follicle (HF) melanocyte stem cells (McSCs);
to determine how a subset of skin-derived stem cells exhibiting the potential to myelinate
neurons can be isolated from mammalian skin and utilized therapeutically. The rationale for the
study is based upon our prior work demonstrating that CD34+ McSCs, located in the HF bulge,
exhibit a neural crest stem cell phenotype and expression profile; and are not exclusively
committed to melanocyte differentiation. By separating CD34+ McSCs from other cells in the
murine HF and skin, we have been able to characterize the genome-wide expression profile and
functional characteristics of CD34+ McSCs; which include their ability to form myelin sheaths
surrounding neurons. By applying this information to identify other skin-derived stem cells with
similar properties that can be isolated de novo; we believe that we can develop approaches to
treat demyelinating disease and the effects of neurological trauma with highly-specific and
selected skin-derived stem cells.
The objectives of our studies are to: 1) apply specific markers of CD34+ McSCs to murine and
human skin-derived stem cells with neural crest differentiation properties, or skin-derived
precursors (SKPs), and 2) to identify specific subsets of SKPs with glial properties. An
additional objective is to determine whether CD34+ McSCs, along with specific SKP subsets
subsequently identified, support neural repair in an established neural injury model. These
studies will be accomplished using individual and core laboratory facilities in both the Baltimore
VA Medical Center and in the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The results of these
studies should have a positive impact on the health care of Veterans. Our comprehensive
genomic and functional characterization of CD34+ McSCs may enable a strategy for identifying
a highly-specific stem cell population from human skin- useful for supporting Veteran recovery
from neurological injury and neurodegenerative disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9783443
- **Project number:** 2I01BX002582-05
- **Recipient organization:** BALTIMORE VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** THOMAS J HORNYAK
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2015-07-01 → 2023-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9783443

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9783443, Melanocyte Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine (2I01BX002582-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9783443. Licensed CC0.

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