Alex Hirtz
Cellular Biology Project Manager - SILAB
Alex HIRTZ is a Cell Biology Project Manager in the in vitro R&D laboratory at SILAB. He holds a PhD in Life Sciences from the University of Lorraine, where he studied the role of hormones in the development of brain tumors.
Since joining SILAB, he has been developing cellular and tissue models to better understand skin homeostasis and to help identify the mechanisms of action of new natural active ingredients for cosmetic and dermocosmetic applications.
Recently, his research has focused on the deregulation of bioelectricity during skin aging.
Presentation
Bioelectricity and skin ageing: toward a promising anti-ageing pathway
Bioelectricity relies on the exchange of ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻) across the plasma membrane. These electrochemical gradients generate a membrane potential, whose variations—mediated by ion fluxes through specific channels—modulate numerous cellular functions. While well characterized in excitable cells, its role in the skin and how it changes with age remain largely unexplored.
In this context, SILAB has demonstrated through voltage-sensitive imaging that fibroblasts undergo depolarization during aging. Additionally, bioinformatic analyses of RNAseq datasets comparing young and aged fibroblasts identified several families of ion channels whose expression is altered with age. Finally, SILAB established that these bioelectrical changes contribute to the dysfunctions associated with skin aging.
These findings position bioelectricity as a promising anti-aging target. These novel models, developed by SILAB, will support the future development of natural active ingredients.
