July 21, 2025 | Austin, Minn. — Epithelial cells cover surfaces like the epidermis, the outer layer of our skin, and they also line spaces inside our body, such as the esophagus or trachea. In a new paper appearing in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, a leading scientific publication in the field of research on skin and connective tissue, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota researchers present a new hypothesis that epithelial cells may be more mobile than we previously thought. This has major implications for how we could treat cancer and various autoimmune and dermatological health conditions.
In the publication, Professor Rebecca Morris, PhD, and Researcher 3 Stephanie Holtorf at The Hormel Institute present key data from scientific literature, research databases, and their own experiments to support their proposal that epithelial progenitor cells may not only reside in tissues of epithelial organs such as breast, prostate, or lung. Under certain conditions, they might actually travel via bloodstreams to the bone marrow and back again. This challenges the long-held belief that the epithelium is a static “brick wall” that most things cannot pass through.
The notion that there could be a population of epithelial progenitor cells in our bone marrow could have broad impacts on dermatology, as well as how we maintain the health of other epithelial tissues and treat the diseases that arise from factors tied to this transit network.
“Our hypothesis is that there may be a progenitor cell population in the bone marrow that can go anywhere in the body,” Dr. Morris said. “For example, when cells in the bone marrow get recruited to the skin’s outer layer to aid in the wound-healing process, it’s possible they could also run the risk of helping to initiate tumors or help existing ones grow.”
Additionally, bone marrow transplants are commonly used in cancer treatment to give patients a new lease on life—but, with this information in mind, Dr. Morris says, donor sources should perhaps be screened for exposure to carcinogens (like through smoking or excessive sun exposure) to minimize the chances of passing those added cancer risks onto the recipient.
The research could also have applications in regenerative medicine, and in situations where tissue stem cells experience chronic compromises.
“If we can enrich and get deeper sequencing, being able to see more RNA molecules and also the proteins in the same cell, that would go a long way to further testing our hypothesis,” said Dr. Morris.
Read the paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X24028975?via%3Dihub
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ABOUT THE HORMEL INSTITUTE
Founded in 1942 by Jay C. Hormel and The Hormel Foundation, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, makes scientific advancements that enhance wellbeing and extend human life. For more than 80 years, we have pursued our mission to conduct research and provide education in the biological sciences with applications in medicine and agriculture. A part of the University of Minnesota's Research and Innovation Office, The Hormel Institute partners with the region's leading biomedical research facilities, including Mayo Clinic.