RNA sequencing of isolated murine basal and suprabasal hair follicle bulge stem cells

In most tissues, stem cells (SCs) comprise a heterogeneous cell population. Previous reports showed that slow cycling label-retaining cells (LRCs) are present in two prominent hair follicle SC populations, basal and suprabasal bulge SCs (bBSCs, sbBSCs). CD34+/itga6low sbBSC and neighbouring CD34+/itga6high bBSCs seem similar with both SC populations able to self-renew in vitro and to generate new hair follicles when grafted. Until now, functional differences have not been reported and molecular mechanisms underlying a positional encoded, intrinsic bulge SC heterogeneity and the relations to SC plasticity and tissue function are not well understood. Following fluorescence activated cell sorting for CD34 and integrin alpha6 of keratinocytes from 7 weeks old mice, we provide sequencing data for two prominent hair follicle SC populations, bBSC and sbBSC, suggesting distinct and overlapping functions in skin homeostasis. Overall design: mRNA profiles of non-stem cells, basal bulge stem cells and suprabasal bulge stem cells of second telogen backskin from wild-type mice