About this Research Topic
The craniofacial region encompasses the complex structures of the skull and face, and its development involves intricate cellular interactions, morphogenetic movements, and signaling pathways. Craniofacial mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have garnered significant attention in decades due to their easy accessibility and potential applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Understanding the biology and behavior of craniofacial MSCs is crucial for advancing therapeutic interventions targeting congenital craniofacial disorders, such as craniosynostosis and cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Also, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms governing the behavior and differentiation of craniofacial MSCs is essential to harness their regenerative power.
Besides, recent technological advancements have revolutionized the field of craniofacial biology and stem cell research, enabling researchers to explore cellular components, tissues, and structures with unprecedented resolution, leading to numerous novel biological insights and identification of unique MSC subsets, such as suture stem cells (SuSCs) in the cranial suture mesenchyme and fibrocartilage stem cells (FCSCs) in the temporomandibular joint. Facilitated by deep-imaging systems, tissue-clearing techniques, single-cell RNA sequencing, etc., significant strides have been made in unraveling the molecular factors and pathways that regulate craniofacial MSC function and differentiation. This Research Topic delves into the current advances and emerging trends in the field of craniofacial biology and resident MSCs, shedding light on their distinct properties, regulatory molecular network, and potential applications in regenerative medicine.
In the long bone, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and/or skeletal stem cells (SSCs) play an essential role in plenty of physiological processes, such as growth and development, life-long homeostasis, and fracture healing. As the primary stem cell population of the craniofacial area, the physiological significance of craniofacial stem cells is self-evident but receives quite limited investigation. However, these craniofacial MSCs/SSCs have many unique properties in terms of their regulatory signaling pathways, differentiation potentials, niches, etc., which deserve extraordinary attention. For instance, suture stem cells (SuSCs) reside in the cranial suture mesenchyme, undergo intramembranous ossification rather than endochondral ossification, and display weaker adipogenic differentiation ability compared with long-bones MSCs/SSCs; fibrocartilage stem cells (FCSCs) reside in the temporomandibular joint, play a unique role in the development and regeneration of fibrocartilage. Therefore, this Research Topic focuses on the current advances and emerging trends in the field of craniofacial biology and resident MSCs, shedding light on their distinct properties, regulatory molecular network, and potential applications in regenerative medicine.
This Research Topic welcomes basic, clinical, and translational research that improves the current understanding of craniofacial biology and resident MSCs. Studies focusing on craniofacial developmental biology, stem cells, bone anabolism and catabolism, tissue engineering, and dental research are welcome to this collection. We welcome the submission of different article types, especially original research, reviews, and mini-reviews. Specific subtopics of interest may include, but are not limited to:
• Craniofacial biology
• Craniofacial MSCs/SSCs
• Dental-derived MSCs/SSCs
• Congenital craniofacial disorders
• Signaling pathways
• Regulatory molecular network
• Regenerative and translational medicine
Besides, recent technological advancements have revolutionized the field of craniofacial biology and stem cell research, enabling researchers to explore cellular components, tissues, and structures with unprecedented resolution, leading to numerous novel biological insights and identification of unique MSC subsets, such as suture stem cells (SuSCs) in the cranial suture mesenchyme and fibrocartilage stem cells (FCSCs) in the temporomandibular joint. Facilitated by deep-imaging systems, tissue-clearing techniques, single-cell RNA sequencing, etc., significant strides have been made in unraveling the molecular factors and pathways that regulate craniofacial MSC function and differentiation. This Research Topic delves into the current advances and emerging trends in the field of craniofacial biology and resident MSCs, shedding light on their distinct properties, regulatory molecular network, and potential applications in regenerative medicine.
In the long bone, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and/or skeletal stem cells (SSCs) play an essential role in plenty of physiological processes, such as growth and development, life-long homeostasis, and fracture healing. As the primary stem cell population of the craniofacial area, the physiological significance of craniofacial stem cells is self-evident but receives quite limited investigation. However, these craniofacial MSCs/SSCs have many unique properties in terms of their regulatory signaling pathways, differentiation potentials, niches, etc., which deserve extraordinary attention. For instance, suture stem cells (SuSCs) reside in the cranial suture mesenchyme, undergo intramembranous ossification rather than endochondral ossification, and display weaker adipogenic differentiation ability compared with long-bones MSCs/SSCs; fibrocartilage stem cells (FCSCs) reside in the temporomandibular joint, play a unique role in the development and regeneration of fibrocartilage. Therefore, this Research Topic focuses on the current advances and emerging trends in the field of craniofacial biology and resident MSCs, shedding light on their distinct properties, regulatory molecular network, and potential applications in regenerative medicine.
This Research Topic welcomes basic, clinical, and translational research that improves the current understanding of craniofacial biology and resident MSCs. Studies focusing on craniofacial developmental biology, stem cells, bone anabolism and catabolism, tissue engineering, and dental research are welcome to this collection. We welcome the submission of different article types, especially original research, reviews, and mini-reviews. Specific subtopics of interest may include, but are not limited to:
• Craniofacial biology
• Craniofacial MSCs/SSCs
• Dental-derived MSCs/SSCs
• Congenital craniofacial disorders
• Signaling pathways
• Regulatory molecular network
• Regenerative and translational medicine
Keywords: Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs); Skeletal stem cells (SSCs); Homeostasis; Development; Regeneration; Signaling pathways
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