Residing at the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis is composed of stratified squamous epithelial cells. Regular renewal of the epidermis is essential for maintaining its barrier function, which is dependent on the orchestrated proliferation and differentiation of stem cells located in the basal epidermis. This process necessitates precise dual regulation through the intrinsic control of cell division orientation and external microenvironmental influences. In this comprehensive review, we delve into the critical processes underlying epidermis renewal, emphasizing the balance between symmetric and asymmetric cell fate and the integration of differentiated cells into the suprabasal layer. Our paper highlights the pivotal roles of single-cell omics, live imaging, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven modeling techniques in elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing cell proliferation and differentiation during epidermis renewal.
Liu et al. (2026) studied this question.