MINI REVIEW article
Front. Cell Dev. Biol.
Sec. Cancer Cell Biology
This article is part of the Research TopicSkin Stem Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment: Niche Regulation in Health and CancerView all articles
Vascular endothelial cells as putative signaling niches for epithelial skin stem cells
Provisionally accepted
- Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
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In many non-skin tissues, vascular endothelial cells (VECs) are increasingly recognized as integral components of stem cell niches engaged in bidirectional molecular crosstalk, regulating stem cell behavior through angiocrine signaling. In the skin, however, the nature and physiological relevance of VEC cues influencing epithelial stem cells remain poorly defined. While many cell types, including fibroblast, immune cells, nerves, and adipocytes are known to crosstalk to the epithelial stem cells in skin contributing to their niche, recent studies began to implicate VECs as a putative niche component. Indeed, skin epithelial stem cells can actively influence local vasculature via stage-and spatially restricted secretion of vascular remodeling factors. Conversely, genetic perturbations that enhance secretion of quiescence-inducing signals from the blood vessel VECs alter hair follicle stem cell proliferation and disrupt tissue homeostasis. Although these findings demonstrate that VECs can in principle modulate epithelial stem cell states, the specific signals and physiological contexts where VECs instruct skin stem cells remain largely unknown. Beyond homeostasis, VEC–stem cell interactions may in theory contribute to skin responses to environmental and pathological stresses, including ultraviolet irradiation, psoriasis, and cancer. Here we aim to raise awareness that, as observed in many non-skin tissues and tumors, skin VECs may likewise function not only as delivery conduits but also as putative signaling niches that shape epithelial stem cell states across diverse contexts. This review highlights an underexplored layer of vascular–epithelial crosstalk with potential relevance for skin homeostasis and disease, revealing a need for deeper mechanistic investigation in this research area.
Keywords: Cancer, Homeostasis, Perivascular niche, skin epithelial stem cells, stress, vascular endothelial niche
Received: 05 Jan 2026; Accepted: 13 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Tumbar, Ganguly, McMahon and Tavallaei. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Tudorita Tumbar
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