Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41975397›Full record

ArticleBMC medical genomics2026

CRABP2 upregulation in perichondral stem cells is associated with microtia.

Jingheng Zhang, Feiyang Chu, Xuzhong Hu, Xinghua Yang, Shaorong Lei, Leren He, Dingyu Wu, Lin Lin, Haiyue Jiang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical genomics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jingheng Zhang *Plastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100144, China.
Feiyang Chu *Plastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100144, China.
Xuzhong HuDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
Xinghua YangDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
Shaorong LeiDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
Leren HePlastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100144, China.
Dingyu WuDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China. 4011609@csu.edu.cn.
Lin LinPlastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100144, China. linlin@psh.pumc.edu.cn.
Haiyue JiangPlastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100144, China. jianghaiyue_psh@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Microtia is a common congenital craniofacial malformation characterized by the partial or complete absence of the external ear structure. Despite its relatively high incidence, the pathogenesis of microtia remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed both single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing data from microtia cases and identified a population of COL1 + HES1+mesenchymal stem cell in perichondrium with significantly higher expression of the CRABP2 gene, a gene that encodes a nuclear transporter of retinoic acid. Gene expression analysis further confirmed that the RA signaling intensity and stemness are both higher in COL1 + HES1+ perichondral stem cells from microtia patients, possibly due to elevated CRABP2 levels. Through histological verification we further confirmed the presence of this cell population with high CRABP2 expression in the perichondrium. Mechanistically, the elevated CRABP2 expression in perichondral stem cells seen in microtia patients may cause dysregulated RA signaling and disrupt the regulation of stem cell differentiation during auricular development. Histological analysis further revealed higher KLF2 expression as well as cartilage hypoplasia in microtia samples. Our study identified that the CRABP2-induced RA dysregulation in COL1 + HES1+ perichondral stem cells may contribute to microtia. These findings offer new insights into the etiology of microtia and provide potential directions for prenatal prevention and tissue engineering treatments.

Indexed as

Congenital MicrotiaMesenchymal Stem CellsReceptors, Retinoic AcidStem CellsUp-RegulationFemaleHumansSignal TransductionTretinoinReceptors, Retinoic Acidretinoic acid binding protein II, cellularTretinoinCRABP2Elastic cartilageEtiologyMicrotia

Identifiers

PMID41975397
PMCPMC13192156

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.