In mouse hair follicles, pigment cells in the hair germ area actively make new pigment cells and stem cells, while those in the bulge stay quiet and only make more stem cells.
Scientific Claim
In mice, melanocyte stem cells located in the hair germ compartment during telogen are associated with active proliferation and regeneration of both stem and differentiated melanocyte progeny, whereas bulge McSCs are quiescent and only produce stem cell progeny.
Original Statement
“HG McSCs, which actively proliferated to regenerate progeny in both stem cell and differentiated cell compartments (Figs. 1c,d and 4f). This was in contrast to bulge McSCs, which either remained quiescent or underwent limited division to give rise to McSC progeny (Fig. 4e,f).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
Uses 'associated with' and describes observed differences without causal language, matching study design constraints.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Dedifferentiation maintains melanocyte stem cells in a dynamic niche