PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Wrong on skin cares: keratinocytes, not fibroblasts, make collagen for healthy skin

Keratinocytes produce collagen fibers, while deeper fibroblasts later modify the collagen fibers initially formed by keratinocytes

Wrong on skin cares: keratinocytes, not fibroblasts, make collagen for healthy skin
2025-03-12
(Press-News.org)

The skin consists of two primary layers. The epidermis, the outermost layer, is predominantly made up of keratinocytes, while the deeper dermis contains blood vessels, nerves, and structural proteins such as collagen, which give the skin its strength and texture. Traditionally, fibroblasts—specialized supporting cells within the dermis—have been believed to play a key role in producing collagen.

In humans, collagen is formed before and after birth. It has been believed that fibroblasts play an exclusive role in collagen production in the skin, and no keratinocytes contribute to collagen production. The statement “Collagen production in the human skin is achieved by fibroblasts” has been an unspoken agreement in the skin research field.

However, in a groundbreaking study published in Volume 16 of Nature Communications on February 24, 2025, scientists from Okayama University, Japan, challenged this long-standing belief. Using the transparent skin of axolotls, an aquatic amphibian widely used in dermatology research, they uncovered a different mechanism for dermal collagen formation.

To track collagen development, the researchers examined axolotl skin at different growth stages—5 cm, 8 cm, 10 cm, and 12 cm in length—using advanced fluorescence-based microscopy techniques. At 5 cm, the axolotl’s skin consisted of an epidermis with keratinocytes and a thin, fibroblast-free collagen layer in the dermis, which they named the stratum coniunctum. As the axolotl grew, the collagen layer thickened, and only later did fibroblasts begin migrating into it, eventually forming three distinct dermal layers beneath the epidermis: the stratum baladachinum, stratum spongiosum, and stratum compactum. Each of these layers had a unique collagen structure, none of which matched the original pattern of the stratum coniunctum.

Since collagen was already present before fibroblasts start contributing the dermal collagen formation, the team searched for the source of collagen production by a novel collagen labeling technique that can clarify newly synthesized collagen fibers. The results were surprising: strong fluorescent signals were detected in collagen fibers made by keratinocytes, not fibroblasts. “So far, fibroblasts have been thought to be the major contributors to skin collagen. All efforts in cosmetic science and skin medical research have focused on fibroblast regulation. But the present study demands a change in mindset. We clarified that keratinocytes are primarily responsible for dermal collagen formation,” explains Ayaka Ohashi, a Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science, and Technology at Okayama University.

Further investigation revealed that keratinocytes produce collagen in a structured, grid-like arrangement on their undersurface. Later, fibroblasts, which have a lattice-like structure and finger-like projections, migrated into this collagen layer, modifying, and reinforcing it. To confirm that this process is not unique to axolotls, the researchers examined other vertebrate models, including zebrafish, chick embryos, and mammalian (mouse) embryos. Their findings were consistent across all species, suggesting that keratinocyte-driven collagen production is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism.

Understanding how collagen forms before birth is crucial for addressing skin aging and developing new treatments for collagen-related conditions. “Axolotls can maintain good skin texture and appearance for a long time. I mean, they have a sort of eternal youth,” says Professor Akira Satoh from Okayama University. “This might be because they continue producing collagen in keratinocytes for a long time. On the other hand, we humans cannot maintain collagen production in keratinocytes after birth. If we can clarify the mechanism that allows axolotls to keep keratinocytes producing collagen throughout their lifetime, we might be able to achieve eternal youth, just like axolotls.”

This discovery reshapes our understanding of skin biology and could lead to breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, wound healing, and cosmetic formulations. Current skincare products primarily target fibroblast activity, but future treatments may need to focus on stimulating keratinocyte-driven collagen production instead.

By overturning a decades-old belief, this research paves the way for a new era in skincare science—one that could bring us closer to maintaining youthful, resilient skin for a lifetime.

 

About Okayama University, Japan

As one of the leading universities in Japan, Okayama University aims to create and establish a new paradigm for the sustainable development of the world. Okayama University offers a wide range of academic fields, which become the basis of the integrated graduate schools. This not only allows us to conduct the most advanced and up-to-date research, but also provides an enriching educational experience.

Website: https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/index_e.html

 

About Professor Akira Satoh from Okayama University, Japan

Dr. Akira Satoh is a faculty of the Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science, and Technology at Okayama University, Japan. He has a total of 68 publications to his name, with his primary focus being Life Sciences and Developmental Biology. He works on amphibian limb models to understand why humans have lost their ability to regenerate organs. He was conferred ‘The Young Scientists’ Prize – 2015’ by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan.

 

About Ayaka Ohashi from Okayama University, Japan

Ayaka Ohashi is a Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science, and Technology at Okayama University, Japan. She works with amphibian animal models, primarily axolotl to gain deeper insights into various aspects of developmental biology, with 9 publications to her credit. Her recent works were focused on skin, muscle, and limb regeneration.

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Wrong on skin cares: keratinocytes, not fibroblasts, make collagen for healthy skin

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Delhi air pollution worse than expected as water vapour skews figures

2025-03-12
New Delhi's air pollution is more severe than previously estimated with particles absorbing atmospheric water vapour leading to particulate matter levels across the city being underestimated by up to 20%, a new study reveals.  Hygroscopic growth causes fine particulate matter (PM1) to swell, reducing sampling devices efficiency and leading to underestimation, with greatest underestimation in estimated concentrations happening during winter morning rush hours, when humidity is highest and pollution is most severe.   In contrast, research shows that the monsoon ...

First radio pulses traced to dead-star binary

First radio pulses traced to dead-star binary
2025-03-12
An international team of astronomers, including a Northwestern University astrophysicist, has traced a series of mysterious radio pulses to an unprecedented home. Starting a decade ago, astronomers have detected a pulse of radio emission every two hours, coming from the direction of the Big Dipper. After combining observations from multiple telescopes, the team can now reveal the culprit: a binary system with a dead star. According to the new study, a red dwarf and white dwarf are orbiting each other so tightly that their magnetic fields interact. Each time they bump together — which is every two hours — the interaction emits a long radio blast. Although astronomers ...

New membrane discovery makes possible cleaner lithium extraction

2025-03-12
Researchers have developed a new process for sustainable lithium extraction, which could help to address the growing global demand for the metals used in electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage.  Current ways of getting lithium are bad for the environment and more sustainable approaches are hard to perform on a large scale, but scientists have developed new membranes to pull lithium directly out of salty lake water using electricity, leaving other metal ions behind.  Publishing their findings in Nature Water today (12 Mar), the international group of researchers from the UK, France, ...

Entwined dwarf stars reveal their location thanks to repeated radio bursts

Entwined dwarf stars reveal their location thanks to repeated radio bursts
2025-03-12
An international team of astronomers led by Dr Iris de Ruiter, now at the University of Sydney, has shown that a white dwarf and a red dwarf star orbiting each other every two hours are emitting radio pulses. Thanks to follow-up observations using optical and x-ray telescopes, the researchers were able to determine the origin of these pulses with certainty. The findings explain the source of such radio emissions found across the Milky Way galaxy for the first time. The results are published in Nature Astronomy. In recent years, better analysis techniques have given researchers the ability ...

Landscape scale pesticide pollution detected in the Upper Rhine region, from agricultural lowlands to remote areas

Landscape scale pesticide pollution detected in the Upper Rhine region, from agricultural lowlands to remote areas
2025-03-12
A recent study by the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau shows extensive pesticide contamination in the landscape of the Upper Rhine Region. The research team led by Carsten Brühl shows for the first time that synthetic chemical pesticides from conventional agriculture do not remain on the cultivated areas, but spread from the lowlands to the Black Forest and the Palatinate Forest. The results show that the entire landscape is contaminated with pesticide mixtures, shedding new light on the potential environmental ...

Decoding nanomaterial phase transitions with tiny drums

Decoding nanomaterial phase transitions with tiny drums
2025-03-12
When water freezes into ice or boils into vapour, its properties change dramatically at specific temperatures. These so-called phase transitions are fundamental to understanding materials. But how do such transitions behave in nanomaterials? In Nature Communications, a team of scientists led by TU Delft (The Netherlands) presents new insights into the complex nature of phase transitions in magnetic nanomaterials. Their findings reveal the coupling between magnetic and mechanical properties, paving the way for ultra-sensitive sensors. The scientists from TU Delft, together with colleagues from the University of Valencia and the National University of Singapore, studied ...

Two-star system explains unusual astrophysical phenomenon

Two-star system explains unusual astrophysical phenomenon
2025-03-12
(Images available via the links in the Notes section) An international team of astrophysicists led by the Netherlands and the UK have discovered that radio pulses lasting seconds to minutes are due to two stars coming together – rather than emissions from a single star. The results are published today (12 March) in Nature Astronomy.   In recent years, a new astronomical phenomenon has puzzled radio astronomers: researchers have detected radio pulses from the Milky Way that last from seconds to minutes. These pulses are unlike anything expected from known radio-emitting neutron stars, or pulsars*, ...

Minimal TV viewing may be protective for heart diseases linked to Type 2 diabetes

2025-03-12
Research Highlights: A sedentary lifestyle such as watching TV (two or more hours daily) may be a key factor in the risk of developing heart and blood vessel diseases, according to an analysis of health records from a large U.K. biomedical database. People with higher genetic risk for Type 2 diabetes may be more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or other types of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, limiting TV watching to no more than one hour a day may help offset the increased risk of these ...

Mass General Brigham study finds relationship between doomsday clock and patterns of mortality and mental health in the united states

2025-03-12
Results indicate the closer the Doomsday Clock ticks to midnight, the higher the rates are for mortality specific to Alzheimer’s disease, suicide, unintentional injuries, alcohol and substance-related disorders Since 1947, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) has used the metaphor of the Doomsday Clock as a means of communicating how close the human species is to self-imposed annihilation, represented as midnight. While early iterations of the clock focused more exclusively on the dangers of nuclear weapons, the BAS has also begun to consider other evolving existential dangers ...

Signs of ‘tipping point’ to electric vehicles in UK used car market

2025-03-12
Second-hand electric cars may be close to a “tipping point” where they become more popular than equivalent petrol and diesel cars in the UK, new research shows. Researchers analysed data from car sales website Auto Trader, comparing daily views of adverts for electric vehicles (EVs) with petrol/diesel cars. Interest in second-hand EVs grew rapidly, doubling from 3.5% of advert views in 2022 to 7% in 2023. Importantly, interest in EVs became more “sticky”. Events such as petrol price increases drove extra EV views – and over time these spikes of attention lasted longer and longer.   “To identify ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Getting hit by lightning is good for some tropical trees

Soldiers can cope with killing

Quantum Leap: NIST selects FAU for new generation of encryption standards

City of Hope-led study demystifies tumor formation’s two-step process — a foundational understanding needed to prevent cancer

We are vastly overestimating the amount of fresh water available for lithium mining, new study finds

If native plants are going to survive climate change, they need our help to move—here’s how to do it safely

Blue pigment improves foundation makeup shades for dark skin

A safe nuclear battery that could last a lifetime

Making sturdy, semi-transparent wood with cheap, natural materials

Adulting is hard on the heart: Teen to young adulthood is a critical time to address risk

Study shows link between the start of the working day and time preferences

Scientists discovered chemical oscillations in palladium nanoparticles, paving the way for recycling precious metal catalysts

Tadpoles try to flee dangerous virus in their pond by growing much faster than normal

Build it and they shall come

How elephants plan their journeys: New study reveals energy-saving strategies

New study challenges the ‘monogamy-superiority myth’, as non-monogamous people report just as happy relationships and sex lives

Government of Guyana, Mount Sinai Health System and Hess Corporation announce five-year extension of national healthcare initiative.

Preclinical study: after heart attack, a boost in anti-inflammatory cells promoted healing

Glucose revealed as a master regulator of tissue regeneration in Stanford Medicine study

Open-label placebo appears to reduce premenstrual symptoms, study suggests

New mums advised to do two hours of moderate to vigorous exercise a week

Milk as Medicine: New Study Shows Breast Milk Transforms Challenges into Triumphs

CU Cancer Center researchers identify the ‘switch’ that allows intestinal cells to regenerate after injury

Special issue of Academic Emergency Medicine explores the science of errors in emergency care

Organoid fusions as models to study meninges-brain signaling

A multimodal light manipulator

OU researcher leverages technology for alcohol disorder interventions in primary care

Automated lead nurturing boosts sales—but only under the right conditions

Lessons from Venezuela’s democratic collapse: How opposition movements can defy autocratic leaders

USU ecologists document Utah's bee species and say beehive state is rich in bee diversity

[Press-News.org] Wrong on skin cares: keratinocytes, not fibroblasts, make collagen for healthy skin
Keratinocytes produce collagen fibers, while deeper fibroblasts later modify the collagen fibers initially formed by keratinocytes