New research has identified two actives that can prevent stem cell decline as we age and increase collagen 17 levels in cells. It was published in Nature last year and has just been covered in Scientific American. The study was described as elegant by a prominent dermatologist, not involved in the project. As I am always on the look out for next big thing in antiaging skincare, I pounced.

Ill cut straight to the car chase. The two actives are Y27632 and apocynin and I was curious to see if they could be tracked down outside of a lab and, perhaps, in our potions and lotions. The first is a chemical that I havent been able to track down. Happily, I had better luck with apocynin.

Apocynin has been identified in a specific strain of cannabis, but also in cloudberry. And rubus chamaemorus (AKA cloudberry) seed oil is in a facial oil by Keracell. Ill post a link at the end of this article.

So, how do Y27632 and apocynin work? Emi Nishimura, a professor of stem cell biology at Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Japan, revealed that aging and UV exposure deplete stem cells of a crucial collagen protein. Heres what happens.

As part of normal skin health, the top layer of the epidermis is constantly being sloughed off and replaced from a self-replenishing pool of stem cells in the basal layer. These stem cells have roots that anchor them to a thin piece of tissue called the basement membrane that connects the epidermis and the dermis. Only when tethered can they replicate and mature into another type of cell.

This is where collagen 17 comes in. This collagen protein does the tethering (see the "adhesive molecule" in the illustration above), rooting the stem cell to the basement membrane. As stem cells become damaged, they lose precious amounts of collagen 17. The more protein they lose, the weaker their bond to the basement membrane, until eventually they are forced out by neighboring healthy cells.

Thats why this study is potentially a breakthrough. It has identified the process, the key protein that needs to be replenished and the chemicals that might just be able to do that.

You can find rubus chamaemorus (AKA cloudberry) seed oil and a potential source of apocynin in KERACELL Liquid Gold Enriching Elixir ($160 in the shop).

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New research could be a breakthough in collagen and stem cell research - Truth In Aging