A highly magnified view of melanoma tumours growing in the skin. CD169+ macrophages are shown in green and yellow, forming a biological boundary wall to contain the tumours. Image courtesy Garvan Institute of Medical Research For the first time, researchers have observed macrophages attacking melanoma cells in real time and identified a subpopulation of the immune cells involved in resisting the skin cancer. The findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, rev

Staphylococcus aureus. Photo by Janice Haney Carr, provided by CDC/ Matthew J. Arduino, DRPH, via Wikimedia Commons New findings suggest that commensal bacteria on the skin release molecules that inhibit the skin’s production of pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-33, potentially preventing atopic dermatitis (AD) flares. Published in Nature Communications, the findings come from research conducted at the University of Manchester and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technolog

Photo by OpenStax College via Wikimedia Commons Researchers at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine have identified previously unrecognized immune surveillance structures within hair follicles that may fundamentally change the concept of cutaneous barrier defence. The murine study, published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, reveals M cell-like sentinel cells in hair follicle epithelium that appear to monitor environmental microbial exposur

TRPV4, an ion channel, is found in neurons classically associated with touch, called Aβ low-threshold mechanoreceptors. New research indicates that TRPV4 can generate itch, but it also helps trigger a negative feedback signal, a neural message that tells the spinal cord and brain that scratching has been sufficient. Image Courtesy of Roberta Gualdani Researchers have discovered that the ion channel TRPV4 plays a critical role in regulating the body's built-in "stop-scratching

DKK3 in keratinocytes orchestrates radiation-induced skin hyperplasia, dermatitis, and fibrosis. Radiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase DKK3 expression in keratinocytes, which subsequently activates canonical Wnt signaling through autocrine TGF-β signaling. Elevated DKK3 levels in keratinocytes drive hyperproliferation and hyperplasia, promoting the polarization of macrophages toward a profibrotic phenotype. These polarized macrophages, in turn, upregulate..

Drs. Michael Longaker (L), Derrick Wan (C), and Dayan Li (R). Image courtesy Stanford Medicine News Facial wounds may hold the key to minimizing scarring, according to new preclinical research that studied why the face heals differently than the trunk and extremities. The findings, published Jan. 22, 2026, in Cell , outline a neural crest–derived fibroblast program and a ROBO2–EP300 signalling pathway that together drive a more regenerative, less-fibrotic pattern of repair.​

Photo by Svdmolen via Wikimedia Commons Researchers at the University of Arizona have identified a previously unknown population of circulating immune cells that play a critical role in fibrosis. The findings, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering , add to the understanding of the healing process and could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating fibrosis. Fibrosis contributes to nearly half of all deaths in developed countries, including conditions such as pulm

Stefania Nicoli, PhD. Photo courtesy Yale School of Medicine The outer surface of the skin, noted for its regenerative processes, may owe its resilience to lessons learned before birth. In a study published October 10 in Nature Communications , researchers at Yale School of Medicine report that embryonic skin stem cells establish the physical and molecular groundwork that allows the body to repair itself throughout life. Led by Kaelyn Sumigray, PhD, and Stefania Nicoli, PhD,