The paralogues Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) control cell proliferation and cell fate determination from embryogenesis to ageing. In the skin epidermis, these proteins are involved in both homeostatic cell renewal and injury-induced regeneration and also drive carcinogenesis and other pathologies. YAP and TAZ are usually considered downstream of the Hippo pathway. However, they are the central integrating link for the signalling microenvironment since they are involved in the interplay with signalling cascades induced by growth factors, cytokines, and physical parameters of the extracellular matrix. In this review, we summarise the evidence on how YAP and TAZ are activated in epidermal keratinocytes; how YAP/TAZ-mediated signalling cooperates with other signalling molecules at the plasma membrane, cytoplasmic, and nuclear levels; and how YAP/TAZ ultimately controls transcription programmes, defining epidermal cell fate.

The development of technologies for the generation and transplantation of living skin equivalents (LSEs) is a significant area of translational medicine. Such functional equivalents can be used to model and study the morphogenesis of the skin and its derivatives, to test drugs, and to improve the healing of chronic wounds, burns, and other skin injuries. The evolution of LSEs over the past 50 years has demonstrated the leap in technology and quality and the shift from classical full‐thickness LSEs to principled new models, including modification of classical models and skin organoids with skin derived from human‐induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) (hiPSCs). Modern methods and approaches make it possible to create LSEs that successfully mimic native skin, including derivatives such as hair follicles (HFs), sebaceous and sweat glands, blood vessels, melanocytes, and nerve cells. New technologies such as 3D and 4D bioprinting, microfluidic systems, and genetic modification enable achievement of new goals, cost reductions, and the scaled‐up production of LSEs.

Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) play roles in key functions of the epidermis such as hair generation. The use of human induced pluripotent cells (hiPSCs) makes it possible to obtain DP-like cells and study the molecular mechanisms of DPC development during embryogenesis. In this work, we studied the phenotypic trajectory of hiPSCs during their differentiation into DP-like cells and evaluated the epithelial-mesenchymal interaction potential of the resulting cell line. Specifically, we differentiated hiPSCs into neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and subsequently into DP-like cells. Analysis of bulk RNA-seq data during this process enabled us to observe gene expression dynamics during five stages of dermal differentiation. Furthermore, functional assays (organoids in both collagen gels and hanging drop cultures and tubulogenesis assays) revealed that the dermal cell lines we generated could interact with epidermal cells.

The adoptive transfer of Tregs is a promising immunotherapeutic strategy for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). A key focus in this field is the creation of antigen-specific CAR-Tregs targeted against pancreatic islet antigens. However, the efficacy of such therapies is potentially limited by the instability of the Treg phenotype in the inflammatory conditions of T1D. This review discusses molecular approaches to overcome this limitation. These include the genetic engineering of cytokine signaling pathways (IL2, IL33/ST2, and IL35) and the cAMP cascade, the management of FOXP3 splicing to ensure stable expression of concrete splice variants, and the use of epigenetic mechanisms to promote a durable Treg identity.

Optimization of skin cryopreservation technology is an important task for translational medicine, pharmacology, and a list of other fields. One of the promising approaches is vitrification. This rapid freezing technique allows one to ensure minimal damage to the sample by equating the formation of ice crystals and dehydration both in the cytoplasm of cells and in the extracellular space. This study is aimed at finding the optimal combination of cryoprotective agents (DMSO, glycerol, sucrose and polyethylene glycol) to achieve the highest viability of skin samples after vitrification.

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are a unique cell type that can differentiate into all cell types in the body. In PSC culture, subpopulations with different levels of pluripotency may exist, which leads to different results during their differentiation. One of the key factors that determine the state of pluripotency and influence the differentiation potential of PSCs is the epigenetic state of cells, including the level of histone deacetylation. Activation of histone deacetylase (HDAC) in human and mouse PSCs increases the percentage of heterochromatin. In this work, we used a protocol for the differentiation of embryoid bodies from induced human pluripotent hiPSC cells designed for the formation of ectoderm and neuroectoderm with their subsequent development into skin organoids. However, after hiPSCs were exposed to HDAC inhibitors (sodium butyrate and valproic acid), the direction of their differentiation changed: mesoderm was formed, which subsequently developed into contracting cardiospheres.