Stratified epithelia are made up of several layers of cells, which act as a protective barrier for the organ they cover. To ensure their shielding effect, epithelia are naturally able to cope with constant environmental insults. This ability is enabled by their morphology and architecture, as well as the continuous turnover of stem and progenitor cells that constitute their building blocks. Stem cell fate decisions and dynamics are fundamental key biological processes that allow epithelia to exert their functions. By focusing on the skin epidermis, this review discusses how tissue architecture is generated during development, maintained through adult life, and re-established during regeneration.

分层的上皮细胞由几层细胞组成，它们作为它们所覆盖的器官的保护屏障。为了确保它们的屏蔽效果，上皮细胞自然能够应对不断的环境侮辱。这种能力是通过它们的形态和结构，以及构成它们的构件的干细胞和祖细胞的持续更新来实现的。干细胞命运决定和动力学是允许上皮细胞发挥其功能的基本关键生物学过程。通过关注皮肤表皮，这篇综述讨论了组织结构是如何在发育过程中产生的，在成年后如何维持，以及在再生过程中如何重建。