Regenerative Medicine Approaches for Engineering a Human Hair Follicle

The 2019 document reviews regenerative medicine approaches for hair follicle engineering, emphasizing the importance of dermal papilla cells in hair growth and the limitations of traditional hair loss treatments. It discusses the use of autologous growth factors, with a study of 19 patients showing increased hair density after treatment with plasma rich in growth factors. Adipose-derived stem cells and human placental extract are also mentioned as promising treatments, with positive outcomes in preclinical and clinical studies. The document reports on a clinical trial involving 26 male subjects that demonstrated significant hair growth improvements using hair-stimulating complex (HSC) derived from conditioned media, with a follow-up trial of 56 subjects confirming its safety and efficacy. Additionally, a study with 10 patients showed positive results with HSC treatment. The document also notes that transplanted hairs held in human cell conditioned media had a lower rate of hair loss compared to saline. A phase 1/2a study with 19 subjects showed the safety and effectiveness of an autologous cell-based treatment for AGA. Despite progress, the mechanisms of hair regeneration remain unclear, and further research is needed to understand the role of injected cells and the potential of cell-based therapies, including the use of iPS cells, in hair follicle engineering.