Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Ectodermal Precursor Cells Contribute to Hair Follicle Morphogenesis In Vivo

In this study, researchers demonstrated that human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived ectodermal precursor cells (hiPSC-EPCs) could contribute to hair follicle (HF) morphogenesis in vivo. They generated EPCs from hiPSCs, particularly the 201B7 line, and found that these cells, when co-cultured with human dermal papilla (DP) cells, showed significant upregulation of follicular keratinocyte markers and were in a WNT-activated state. Co-transplantation of 201B7 hiPSC-EPCs with trichogenic mice dermal cells into immunodeficient mice resulted in HF formation, with human-specific markers detected in the hair shafts and matrix. Although the direct contribution of hiPSC-EPCs to HF structures was low, the study highlighted their potential in enhancing epithelial-mesenchymal interactions for HF bioengineering and suggested the need for organ-specific in vitro screening methods to assess the functional aspects of hiPSC lines.